DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – Emotions were high for Loras College Women's Basketball seniors Carly Goede and Victoria May on Saturday afternoon as the Duhawks hosted the Coe College Kohawks on senior day. Potentially Goede and May's final games in the Athletic & Wellness Center, the senior duo used the extra emotion to lift the Duhawks past the Kohawks, 63-57, in a critical conference game. Goede dished out a team-high six assists with May scoring a game-high 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting.

Loras (14-9, 8-4 IIAC) opened the game in a 9-2 hole after Coe (15-8, 8-4 IIAC) 3-of-4 triples in the opening minutes. Foreshadowing how the night would go, the Duhawks posts balanced their work on the defensive end with buckets on offense. Senior Victoria May and sophomores Lori Obendorf and Terese McMahon eluded the Kohawk defense on their way to cashing in at the basket, leveling the score at 11.

Baskets by one team were answered by another, leaving the score locked at 22 with just under five minutes to play before the break.

Senior Carly Goede swung momentum in favor of the Duhawks, drawing a second defender and skipping a pass to sophomore Kathleen Cabrera for a 3-pointer. Cabrera's shot from deep, brought the crowd to their feet, lifting the Duhawks to a 25-22 lead.

With Loras running on all cylinders, May settled into a rhythm. After Cabrera hit May for a jumper in the lane, the Duhawk guards continued to feed the Port Byron, Illinois native. Holding the hot hand, May rattled off eight straight points, pushing Loras' lead to 35-31 at the half.

After the Kohawks opened second half play with a basket, Obendorf kept the Duhawks in front. The sophomore center showcased her jumpshot, using a pass from Cabrera to knock down the shot just outside the lane before a series of defensive plays kept Coe in check.

Freshman Aleena Hobbs' did all she could to cut into the Duhawks lead but Loras' defense played as a unit. With Hobbs and senior Megan Hayes tag teaming the post work, the Duhawks had their work cut out for them. Quick rotations, aggressive help side defense, and great anticipation allowed Loras to remain in control. 

The energy on defense carried over to the offensive end of the floor. Smart passes, quick ball movement, and strong fakes left Loras' shooters open. May pulled more of Coe's defensive attention after her effective first half, giving the Duhawks perimeter players space.

Looking to feed the post, Goede plowed into the lane before being stopped without a clear feed. A swift pass fake provided the senior guard with just enough space to dish out an assist to Cabrera. Catching the pass clean, Cabrera raised over her defender and knocked down the 3-ball.

A six-point Loras lead was turned into a one-point deficit after the Kohawks hit back-to-back-to-back shots to take a 44-43 lead with 11:36 to play.

Anxious to retake the lead, Goede drove to the rim. Taking contact along the way, her shot rimmed out. May broke around her defender's attempted box out, pulling down the rebound and drawing the foul in the process. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Duhawks reset the offense before Goede drove the lane. Driving in from the right wing, Coe's help side was forced to step in, leaving freshman Miranda Chapman open on the baseline. Goede flung a pass crosscourt to Chapman who hit the 3-pointer from the corner.
Following a basket by Coe, evening the score at 47, Cabrera stepped in for the steal and ran it coast-to-coast for a layup. A spark for the Duhawks all game, Cabrera's play brought the crowd back into the game.

In front 49-47, the Duhawks kept their foot on the gas. May used a plethora of post moves in the paint on her way to a basket before freshman Lauren Stanich showed her athleticism. A fast first step gave Stanich all the space she needed, breaking past her defender and splitting two other Kohawks on her way to the rim for a layup.

Consecutive baskets from May held off Coe's strongest comeback push, fueling the Duhawks to a 57-50 lead with three minutes to play. From there, the Duhawks closed the game out at the charity stripe, allowing them to take home the 63-57 senior day victory.

Game Changer
Senior Victoria May used the added emotions of senior day to turn in one of the best performances of her career. May tallied 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting to fuel the Duhawks to win.

Key Stat
After struggling from the field in their first match up of the season, the Duhawks held the shooting advantage on Saturday. Loras shooting 44.9 percent from the floor while holding Coe to a measly 37.5 field goal percentage.

Notables

• The Duhawks 14 turnovers were the least the Duhawks have allowed dating back to their January 10^th matchup with Coe College.
• Kat Cabrera set a new season-high in points, tallying 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting (2-of-2 from beyond the arc)
• Tonight marks the first time the Duhawks have won a game with junior Kaitlin Phillips, senior Carly Goede, and sophomore Lori Obendorf scoring in the single-digits
• Senior Victoria May recorded her fourth 20 point game of the season, her first since December 3, 2014 when the Duhawks topped Elmhurst

Quotable
Senior Victoria May
"We've really been struggling with turnovers lately and we've found that running in transition really helps us cut down on putting the ball in the opposing team's hands. When we run it's easier for us to make that extra pass and find the open person for an easy basket."

Up Next
Loras will close out the regular season with back-to-back conference road games. The Duhawks will aim to complete the season sweep of Central on Wednesday when they travel to Pella, Iowa to take on the Dutch. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.