This story is sponsored by: Sternweis & Sons
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Defense was the name of the game in Wednesday night’s matchup between undefeated girls basketball teams.
In the end, Marshfield was able to make its free throws and hold on for a 39-34 victory over Hudson in an opening-round game of the Marshfield Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament at the Chips Hamburgers Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
Despite committing 20 turnovers and shooting just 12-for-38 from the field, the Tigers were able to pull out the win by forcing 26 turnovers, and holding Hudson to just nine made field goals and none in the final 5 minutes.
“In our preparation for this game, we really focused at practice,” sophomore guard Zaida Kolbeck said. “Even though we had turnovers, we were able to focus and able to get the win.”
Hudson jumped out to a 6-0 lead after back-to-back three-point plays by Ella Carstensen and Olivia Grothaus.
Dani Minsaas countered with a three-point play of her own for Marshfield, which sparked an 18-0 run that put the Tigers ahead for good.
Hudson ended a 15-minute scoreless streak with a pair of free throws by Katie Grismore and a basket by Carstensen, and went into halftime down 18-10.
The Raiders quickly got back into the game as they opened the second half on a 7-0 run that was capped by a 3-pointer from Grothaus, the only made shot from 3-point range in the game for Hudson.
Marshfield was able to hold on to the lead the rest of the way as Minsaas, who finished with a game-high 19 points, had a basket and a 3-pointer, and Ayana Bousum scored to push the Tigers lead back to six at 27-21.
Hudson was able to cut it to three on numerous occasions as the two teams exchanged free throws during the final four minutes. Hudson made 9 of 10 and Marshfield 7 of 8 at the line in the closing minutes as the Tigers held on for their 10th-straight victory to start the season.
“We’re pretty excited about that (the 10-0 start), but don’t listen to the noise because that can get to you,” said Kolbeck, who had a team-high seven rebounds. “We have to keep pushing and keep focusing at practice to get those wins.”
The tournament concludes Thursday afternoon as Wausau West plays Hudson (8-1) at 1:30 p.m. and Marshfield will play Superior (9-1) at 3:15 p.m. Superior defeated West 75-64 in the early contest on Wednesday.
Tigers 39, Raiders 34
Hudson 10 24 – 34
Marshfield 18 21 – 39
HUDSON (34): Grace Lewis 0-3 2-2 2, Olivia Grothaus 4-9 1-1 10, Grace Hanson 1-7 3-4 5, Maya Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Katie Grismore 1-4 2-2 4, Ella Carstensen 3-7 5-5 11, Simone Ransom 0-1 0-0 0, Ella Wolfe 0-4 2-2 2, Olivia Pettey 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 9-37. FT: 15-16. 3-pointers: 1-7 (Grothaus 1-3, Grismore 0-1, Lewis 0-3). Rebounds: 26 (Grothaus 5, Wolfe 5, Carstensen 5). Turnovers: 25. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Grothaus. Record: 8-1.
MARSHFIELD (39): Sam Kilty 0-0 0-0 0, Zaida Kolbeck 0-4 1-2 1, Kaylie Charron 0-2 0-0 0, Dani Minsaas 6-16 6-6 19, Kaci Abney 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Grancorvitz 1-5 0-0 2, Raella Schueller 2-3 2-2 6, Ayana Bousum 3-8 4-4 11. FG: 12-38. FT: 13-14. 3-pointers: 2-12 (Bousum 1-4, Minsaas 1-5, Grancorvitz 0-1, Kolbeck 0-2). Rebounds: 22 (Kolbeck 7). Turnovers: 20. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: none. Record: 10-0.