Blue Devils use balanced attack to notch season-opening win

UW-Stout 65, St. Olaf 51 | Game Video
 
MENOMONIE (November 13, 2018) – UW-Stout used a balanced attack as all eight players that saw the floor scored and the Blue Devils went on to a season-opening 65-51 win over St. Olaf Tuesday on Dewey Mintz Floor in Johnson Fieldhouse. The win was the first for Blue Devil coach Hannah Iverson, who made her collegiate head coaching debut a successful one.
 
Bailey Diersen led three Stout players in double figures with a game-high 16 points. Kyncaide Diedrich and Shannan Watkins, who returned to the court after missing all of last season and most of the previous season, each tossed in 11 points
 
The Oles were led by K'Lynn Lewis' 14 points and Ella Skrien added 11 points.  

The Oles led through much of the first period, but a Diersen bucket with just a few ticks of the clock left gave Stout an 11-10 lead. The Oles would only regain the lead once, that coming around the eight minute mark of the second period. The teams tied three more times in the second, but Stout started to inch ahead and took a 29-24 lead into halftime.

Stout expanded the lead to 12 points. After the Oles' Lewis hit a 3-pointer to make it 31-27, Stout rolled off eight consecutive points to take a 12-point, 39-27 lead at 6:25 of the third period. The Oles got as close as seven points a few times late in the third period and again in the fourth, but Stout always had an answer to get them at bay.

The Blue Devils were 16 of 25 from the free throw line, while St. Olaf was limited to 5 of 8. St. Olaf was whistled for 22 fouls and turned the ball over 26 times. Stout was marked down with 12 fouls and committed 18 turnovers. St. Olaf held a 42-34 advantage in rebounds and recorded eight blocked shots, three each by Makenna Ash, who had 10 rebounds, and Britta Koenen.

Stout shot 22 of 55 from the floor (.400) and shot an efficient 6 of 7 in the final quarter. The Blue Devils put down five 3-pointers to the Oles' two. The Oles shot 22 of 63 from the floor (.349). 

The Blue Devils got points from Amber Fabeck (7), Lizzy Olsem (6), Carolyn Feddema (5), Liz Oswald (5) and Becky Fesenmaier (4).

Stout returns to action Friday, Nov. 16 at the UW-River Falls Tournament where they will face St. Catherine in the tournament opening game. Stout will face St. Olaf again, Satruday, Nov. 17, in River Falls.