PELLA—It took a late 11-0 run before No. 19-ranked Loras College could shake the Central College women's basketball team, which finally tumbled 69-58.
           
While Loras (11-3 overall, 4-1 American Rivers) burst out of the blocks with 10 unanswered points in just over two minutes, the Dutch remained within striking distance throughout.
           
"I loved how we fought, just in comparison to our game Wednesday (an 80-37 loss at Wartburg College)," coach Moran Lonning. "I loved that we were able to bounce back. I saw a lot of fight in us."
           
Central (3-10 overall, 0-4 American Rivers) got 14 points and five rebounds off the bench from guard Abby Johnson (sophomore, Ankeny). Center Allison Van Gorp (sophomore, Pella, Pella Christian HS) had 13 points and four assists. Guard Kassidi Steel (junior, New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) had eight points and seven rebounds.
           
The Dutch trailed 32-21 at the half but a 25-point third quarter made it 54-46 and a Van Gorp layup with 3:29 remaining sliced the lead to 58-53. But then Loras put on its closing burst to seal the verdict.
           
Central was outshot 42.5% to 37.0% and the Duhawks had a 47-34 advantage on the boards, including a 16-6 edge in offensive rebounds.
           
"We need to make sure that we're not only boxing out and rebounding defensively but I'd like to see us crashing more," Lonning said. "We have athletes that can get offensive rebounds and give us a lift if our shots aren't falling."
           
Guard Kelsea Hurley (senior, Scottsdale, Ariz., Desert Mountain HS), who had nine points, saw her school-record string of made free throws come to an end at 28, missing the second of two tries Saturday. Hurley, who's hitting 92.3% for the season, entered the game ranked third in in the NCAA Division III in free throw percentage. She's also 23rd in assist/turnover ratio at 3.08. She is 27 points shy of becoming the 13th player in program history to score 1,000 points in her career.                                      
           
The Dutch are home again Wednesday for an American Rivers women's-men's doubleheader with Buena Vista University starting at 5:30 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.
           
"I hope moving forward now, after hanging with a team like Loras, that's ranked 19th in the country, that it shows us that we can compete like that from the beginning," Lonning said.