BRUNSWICK, Maine – The most successful women's basketball team in Gustavus history saw its season come to an end Saturday night in Maine, falling to Smith (Mass.), 60-51, in the NCAA Sectional Finals on March 15.
Eight different Gusties scored in the game, but a second half push from the Pioneers was too much for Gustavus to handle, including 12 points out of the hands of graduate student and top Smith guard Ally Landau.
The Gustavus defense opened the game holding Smith to 35.7 percent shooting (5-for-14) out of the gate, while getting 10 points from
Rachel Kawiecki (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) and
Emma Kniefel (5th, Medford, Minn.), who went a combined 5-for-7 from the floor in quarter one. Smith (30-2, 11-0 NEWMAC) found its footing in the second frame, out-scoring the Gusties 17-31 to take a one-point lead, 30-29, at the half.
The Pioneers passed on their shooting woes to the Gusties in the final two quarters, going just 9-for-27 (33.3 percent), holding Kniefel scoreless and getting Kawiecki,
Izzy Quick (5th, Brooklyn Park, Minn.), and
Syd Hauger (5th, Springfield, Minn.) in foul trouble. Hauger cut the lead to four with a layup in the paint, but the Pioneers eventually built it back up to double digits, including the 61-50 final.
The Gusties (29-2, 17-1 MIAC) finished 22-for-51 (43.1 percent) from the floor, but made just one from three-point range, while the Pioneers hit five from distance. Kawiecki led the team with 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting, while
Morgan Kelly (Sr., Saint Peter, Minn.) hauled in 10 boards, including nine on the defensive end, to lead the Gusties' efforts on the glass. Before fouling out, Hauger dished out a team-high three assists, while Quick added a block, and Kelly and
Kylie Baranick (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) each had a pair of steals. Kniefel finished with nine boards, eight points, an assist, and a steal.
"We played in the Elite Eight, we were 10 minutes away in a one possession game from going to the Final Four, and one game is not going to take away from what this team has done," said Head Coach
Laurie Kelly following her final game coaching a historical group of seniors, including her own daughter.
"I feel nothing but pride and joy that I've gotten to do this. The sadness is, the journey was going to end, whether it was this Saturday or next Saturday, but we're a quality basketball team, and we did things that no other team had ever done, and I'm not going to let one night of maybe not the best basketball we have played take away from what these young women have done."
The six graduating seniors have contributed to the most successful seasons in Gustavus women's basketball history, with four consecutive national tournament appearances, three consecutive MIAC Regular Season Championships, and the program's only four MIAC Playoff Championships. They contributed to a 102-13 record over the last four years and a 73-7 record in MIAC play.
Individually, Kniefel finished with 1,467 career points, passing Bri Monahan '07 HOF '24 for third overall in program history. Her 563 career made field goals are the fourth most in program history, 299 assists eighth, 105 three-pointers 10th, 236 free throws 12th, 194 steals 10th, and 122 games played first.
Hauger finished with 1,013 points for 15th overall. Her 81 three-pointers rank 13th, and 120 games played second.
Quick finished with 479 career rebounds, good for 15th overall in the record books.
Kawiecki finished five points away from her 1,000th for 995 in her career. Her 182 assists rank 23rd, 600 rebounds 11th, and 114 games played third.
Baranick ended with 990 points in her career, behind Kawiecki for 17th overall. Her 362 assists are the fifth-most in program history, 137 three-pointers sixth overall, 211 free throws made 16th, 180 steals 13th, and 113 games played fourth.
Kelly finished with 110 games played for eighth overall and 841 points for 30th.
Smith advances to the Final Four, which features two additional teams from the Gusties' Region IX in UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stout.
