The Storm scored the first basket of the game, but the Beavers rattled off the next 11 points to take a nine-point lead. Simpson battled back, tying the game at 21 with a Whitney Franker field goal at the 9:59 mark. The Storm pushed the lead to as much as five, but the Beavers made it 38-37 on a Margo Muhlbauer layup with just under two to go. Jayna Fischbach (So., Carroll, Iowa, Carroll H.S.) scored the next two baskets for Simpson to lift the lead to six, but a pair of Muhlbauer free throws with 12 seconds remaining in the opening frame made it 46-42 heading into the break.
Buena Vista again started the half strong, scoring the first seven points of the half, all on free throws, to take a 49-46 lead. After Franker made 1-of-2 free throws, Carlie Beals gave the Storm the lead once again with a three-pointer. Katie Ebel regained the lead for the Beavers with a field goal the next time down for BV. Using a Buena Vista turnover, Simpson worked the ball down low to Fischbach who made a layup and a 52-51 Storm lead. Carrie Larson provided Simpson a three-point lead with a field goal at 14:34.
Muhlbauer cut it to one with a jumper 23 seconds later. Ebel gave the Beavers lead back, 55-54 with a layup with a little over 13 minutes remaining. After a Simpson timeout, a Beals three-pointer gave the Storm a 57-55 lead. A long pass over the Simpson press allowed Jenn Schumann to tie the game on the very next play for BV. Schumann fouled Larson who converted both of her free throw attempts for a 59-57 Storm lead but Lindsey Meyer put the Beavers up by one with a three-pointer on the ensuing BV possession. Tessa Van Oosbree steal led to her making a layup for a 61-60 advantage. Schumann made it 62-61 for the Beavers and after a series of Storm misses, Schumann’s layup with 9:28 remaining made it 64-61. A Simpson defensive stop led to a Franker three-pointer which tied the score at 64. An Ebel bucket with just over eight minutes to go gave BV a 66-64 lead.
Jen Schweitzberger made 1-of-2 free throws to give the Beavers a 67-64 with 7:11 to go. After Simpson fouled Muhlbauer on the offensive glass, she made a pair of free throws to make it 69-64 with 6:31 remaining. A BV turnover led to a Beals’ three and a 69-67 lead, but Schumann’s short hook put Buena Vista up by four. Schumann’s put back increased the Beavers’ lead to six, but Montague got the Storm back to within four with a layup with a little over four minutes remaining. A Simpson defensive stop led to Beals’ fifth three-pointer of the game cut the BV lead to one with 3:54 left in second half. Buena Vista called timeout. Ebel missed a jumper which Katch rebounded, she was fouled by Meyer, sending her to the line for a 1-n-1 opportunity. Katch made the first free throw attempt, but missed the second to tie the game. Ebel was fouled, and she went to the charity stripe for the double bonus. She made both to give BV a 75-73 lead.
Smith’s offensive rebound led to a put back to tie the score once again. After a Schumann miss, Muhlbauer was fouled by Smith on the offensive glass. She could only make 1-of-2 attempts to put BV back into the lead. Simpson turned the ball over on their next possession, leading to a Schumann layup and a three-point lead. Each team missed on offensive, but BV got their own offensive rebound and called timeout with 1:30 remaining. Beals fouled Tracy Hartwig with 71 seconds to go, she made 1-of-2 to make it a two-possession game. Beals drove the lane next time down for Simpson and her layup created a 79-77 game. Simpson called a timeout Schumann’s jumper at the 31-second mark gave BV a 81-77 lead. Katelyn Whiton’s putback with 21 seconds remaining again made it a two-point game. The Storm called a timeout and fouled Courtney Stoelk with 12 ticks left on the clock. Stoelk made both free throws to give the Beavers a four-point advantage. BV called timeout to set up their defense. Simpson turned the ball over on errant pass. Schumann intercepted the attempt and was fouled by Whiton. She converted 1-of-2 free throws to make it the final 84-79 score.
Schumann led all scorers with 23 points (10-of-18 shooting). Hartwig recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Meyer and Muhlbauer each had 13 while Ebel added 10. Beals led the Storm with 19 points. Franker scored 12 of her 16 points in the first half. Emily Smith posted 10 points to establish a new career high.
Simpson resumes league play on Saturday when the Storm travel to Dubuque for a 2 p.m. tip-off.