Huskies season ends in NCAA Regional Semifinals
Posted: Mar 13, 2021

Huskies season ends in NCAA Regional Semifinals

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Michigan Tech women's basketball saw its historic 18 game win streak end abruptly Saturday with a 74-65 loss to Ashland in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region semifinals at O'Reilly Family Event Center. Annie Roshak poured in 26 points and Karlee Pireu scored 20 with 12 rebounds for a double-double. The No. 5 seeded Eagles played a strong second quarter to create separation in the game, using a 13-0 run to lead 37-26 by halftime. The Huskies failed to make up the difference and ran into foul trouble late, despite outpacing Ashland 27-21 on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. The Eagles were strong on the boards with 45 rebounds compared to 25 for Tech. Ashland advanced the Midwest Regional final and plays the winner of Drury and Truman for a chance to go to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Columbus, Ohio. 

No. 1 seed Michigan Tech (20-2) won the GLIAC regular season and tournament championships before falling Saturday in Springfield. In the loss, Cassidy Trotter led the Huskies with 18 points, three steals, three assists, and four rebounds in her final game. Four MTU players reached double-figures including Trotter, Alex Rondorf (13 points), Jordan Ludescher (11 points), and Ellie Mackay (10 points). 

Ashland shot 50.0-percent from the field (26-for-52) and 44.0-percent (8-for-18) from the 3-point line for a balanced attack. Meanwhile, the Huskies struggled to convert baskets at the rim and finished 22-for-63 (34.9-percent) with 22 points in the paint.

Michigan Tech started with a 17-14 first quarter advantage. Mackay downed threes on back-to-back possessions from well beyond the arc. Trotter made a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the quarter to keep MTU ahead at the break. Erin Daniels began the second quarter with a 3-pointer for Ashland to tie the game. Roshak and Hallie Heidemann added nine points of their own from long range to turn the game in Ashland's favor for the final time. Missed shots and turnovers were costly over the five minute stretch.

Looking to get back on track after halftime, Ludescher swatted a block to begin the third quarter but jump shot misses continued to be problematic on the offensive end. The Eagles extended their advantage to 53-38. Mackay and Trotter fouled out with under two minutes remaining and McGirk sat out much of the third quarter after a heavy collision near mid-court with an Ashland defender. Despite a late push to get back to a six-point deficit with 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter and McGirk back on the floor, Roshak made four quick free throws and Ashland broke loose on a pair of fastbreak layups to seal the Huskies fate.

The Huskies made their 20th NCAA Appearance and won their eighth GLIAC tournament championship in 2020-21.