Adrienne Anderson makes a move to the hoop during Ferris’s loss to Michigan Tech Thursday, Feb. 24. Anderson recorded eight points in the loss. Photo by Angie Rosenthal | Torch Photographer
With a split to end their final regular season series, the Bulldogs clinched third place in the GLIAC.
Ferris finished with a 19- 9 record (13-7 GLIAC) and claimed the GLIAC North Division Championship and second seed for the conference tournament.
Ferris came up short to Michigan Tech with a 63-59 loss on Thursday, Feb. 24 in a tough matchup in GLIAC play.
In the loss to Michigan Tech, the Bulldogs struggled from the floor shooting 34.4% and 25% from three-point range. They got off to a rough start in the first quarter and trailed 14-7.
The Bulldogs were able to fight back and take a two point lead with 6:23 left in the 4th quarter. Michigan Tech then went on a 7-0 run to take the lead back and eventually secure the win over the Bulldogs.
“It was just timely offense on their part,” head coach Kurt Westendorp said. “I don’t feel like our defense let us down for most of the half but all it takes is just one little stretch right there we have two possessions in a row where you’re a little slow getting out of a screen to challenge a shot with a good shooter, so they did a nice job.”
Saturday, Feb. 26 was senior night, and the Bulldogs were able to avenge their loss on Thursday with a great win over Northern Michigan. Their 72-62 victory closed the regular season and earned the Bulldogs the GLIAC North Division Championship.
“I’m really proud of our seniors,” Westendorp said. “I’m proud of the young women they are. They’re all three going to be graduates of this university, all three going to be great stewards. They’re going to be representatives of the university as alumni, I’m just so happy they were able to experience this today.”
The three seniors were able to get a win in their final regular-season game and got to cut down the nets following a GLIAC North Division Championship.
Senior Zoe Anderson said the feeling “was surreal”. She had 16 points and seven rebounds to go along with three assists and two steals.
It was a great game and moment for the Bulldogs as they played well throughout the game with four players reaching double digits. The seniors were not alone last night as they had help from their teammates Kadyn Blanchard and Chloe Idoni.
Blanchard led the way with 20 points off the bench and Idoni had 16 points. Adrienne Anderson finished with 11 points. As a team, the Bulldogs shot 41% from the field and shot 40.9% from three as well as knocking down 81.3% of their free throws.
Scoring wasn’t the only thing the Bulldogs did well on Saturday. The Bulldogs also had a good game defensively forcing 13 turnovers and pulling down 35 rebounds. Leading the way defensively was Adrienne Anderson with five steals as well as pulling down five rebounds to go with her 11 points and came up with some clutch steals to prevent Northern Michigan from mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter.
“That’s the role I have to play,” Adrienne Anderson said. “I try and do it to the best of my ability and that’s what I have to give to my team. Each of us have a certain role and I try to do it to the best of my ability, and I did it and it turned out in our favor so I couldn’t be more happy.”
With that win, the Bulldogs finish their regular season with some momentum going into the GLIAC tournament where they secured the second seed thanks to the win on Saturday.
“I mean it was picture perfect,” senior Samantha Krauss said. “It was a great way to end our regular season and on senior night with two of my close friends as seniors and the rest of our team, we all did a great job of pulling in the win.”
The Bulldogs will be back in action against Saginaw Valley State on Wednesday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
