Mustangs dig deep to beat Montana Tech in season opener

The Master's University women's basketball team knew its season-opening trip to Montana wouldn't be easy. And Tuesday night in Butte, that storyline held true.

But freshman Stephanie Soares posted team-highs of 17 points and seven rebounds to go along with a school-record 10 blocked shots as the 14th-ranked Mustangs outlasted Montana Tech 79-73.
 
"It's a great way to kick off the new season," said TMU head coach Dan Waldeck.  "It's extremely difficult to win up here against quality opponents, so to come out and battle through the adversity of the game was tremendous."
 
Part of that adversity was foul trouble incurred by Soares, who eventually fouled out.
 
However, she got plenty of help from her veteran teammates.
 
Junior point guard Sabrina Thompson's bucket with four seconds left in the opening quarter drew the Mustangs even with the Orediggers at 16-all after one.
 
Sophomore guard Tristen Coltom's basket with 1:39 remaining in the half gave the Mustangs a 36-31 advantage, their largest of the game to that point, and they carried a 36-33 lead into the break.
 
The Mustangs extended the lead to 46-38 on a Brooke Bailey 3-pointer at the 5:09 mark of the third quarter, then watched that evaporate before closing the stanza on an 8-0 run sparked and finished by Thompson, whose two free throws made it a 56-48 game going to the fourth.
 
That quarter-closing run crossed over into the final frame as sophomore Anika Neuman scored the first five points to give the Mustangs a game-high, 13-point lead.
 
The 13-0 blitz created some much-needed separation and the Orediggers never fully recovered.
 
They did pull within 70-65 with 2:41 remaining before junior Hannah Forrar sank a basket and Soares converted a three-point play to restore order.
 
Forrar and Thompson scored 14 points apiece and Neuman added 13 more as four Mustangs finished in double figures.

"We had great balance in offensive production," said Waldeck.  "And, we'll only get better as we find our identity."
 
The Mustangs shot a solid 48.1% from the field while limiting Montana Tech to 35.8% accuracy.
 
The Mustangs will face the University of Providence (Thursday) and Carroll College (Friday), the nation's No. 18 and No. 7 squads, respectively, later this week to wrap up the Montana swing.