Tigers beat Vikings at Corn Palace

Ellie Braaten scored 29 points for Valley City State, but the Vikings could not hold off a late run by the second-ranked Dakota Wesleyan Tigers. The match at the Corn Palace in Mitchell ended with a 73-65 victory for DWU on Saturday. Valley City State led 34-32 at the half but fell behind for good in the third quarter.

Braaten made eight 3-pointers during the contest. Her eighth three-pointer gave the Vikings a 61-58 lead with 7 minutes and 10 seconds remaining. That was the closest the teams were for the rest of the game. Valley City State made only one more 3-pointer after that mark, which came with seven seconds left on the clock.

Dakota Wesleyan controlled the interior of the court. The Tigers shot 60% on field goals inside the arc, going 24 of 40. They also outscored Valley City State 36-18 in the paint. In terms of possession, DWU held a 30-16 rebounding advantage over the Vikings.

Skyler Volmer, a transfer from the University of North Dakota, led the Tigers with 17 points. She shot 4-for-6 from the floor and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. Volmer also recorded four rebounds and four assists in her second game wearing the Tigers jersey.

Emma Yost contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for Dakota Wesleyan. Avery Broughton added 11 points and six rebounds. The Tigers converted 19 of 29 free-throw attempts, including 9 of 13 in the fourth quarter, to seal the margin.

Liz Lukken scored 13 points for Valley City State. Tiyana Schwinghammer finished with nine points and five rebounds. The Vikings shot 39.3% from deep, going 11 of 28 on 3-pointers. DWU will play Dakota State at the Cattle Classic in Seward, Nebraska, on Friday, Nov. 6.