WISCONSIN DELLS, WISC. - The Wisconsin Dells Holiday Classic provided two opportunities for the Madison College women's basketball team to continue to compete and grow over the winter semester break, as they closed out the 2023 portion of the schedule on December 29-30 at JustAGame Fieldhouse. The WolfPack lost on Friday by a final of 84-33 against Bay College (MI), and then dropped a 77-41 contest on Saturday against Gogebic Community College (MI). Sophomore Kayla Staveness drained seven 3-pointers over the course of the two games as the Pack saw their losing streak stretch to nine straight.

Game #1 (Friday): Bay College 84, Madison College 33

Madison College struggled out of the gates against the full-court pressure of Bay College (7-7), who used a 12-0 run to key a 24-5 lead after the first ten minutes. The WolfPack settled in a bit more throughout the second quarter, especially on defense, and limited the Norse to 16 points as they trailed 40-12 at the half.

Despite another fast start in the third by Bay College with an 11-2 surge, Madison College charged back and scored the ten of the 15 points. The Norse continued their pressure throughout the fourth quarter to outscore the Pack by 19 over the final ten minutes.

Staveness, a sophomore guard, was 3 for 5 from beyond the arc and 6 of 10 at the free throw line to score a team-high 15 points. She also tracked down six rebounds.

Freshman Emily Rottier-Douangmala finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The native of Eagle River, Wisconsin, shot 4 of 12 overall and made 5 of her 6 attempts from the charity stripe. Second year guard Tazhia Aune matched Rottier-Douangmala with eight rebounds of her own.

The loss evens the all-time series at 1-1 after the WolfPack defeated Bay College last season.

Game #2 (Saturday): Gogebic Community College 77, Madison College 41

Saturday's matchup with Gogebic Community College (2-7) proved to be much more competitive. The Samsons started with an 8-2 lead, but consecutive baskets from Emily Rottier-Douangmala narrowed the gap to 10-6 before the first quarter ended with a 19-11 score. The manageable differential slipped away in the second quarter, which GCC won by a 21-7 margin after ending the half with eight straight points.

Two minutes into the second half, freshman Mirella Zielke, who along with Tazhia Aune joined the team after playing for the WolfPack women's soccer team in the fall, sank a high-arcing jumper for her first career points. The WolfPack opened the third quarter with a 10-4 push, and even saw Zielke knock down a free throw in what proved to be an 18-12 quarter won by the Samsons. Gogebic began the final ten minutes with an 11-0 run before Kayla Staveness hit the first of two triples in the last quarter.



Staveness finished with four makes from long range en route to 14 points. The Rio, Wisconsin, native, has scored in double-figures in 11 of the team's 14 games this season, and now boasts six performances with three or more three-pointers made. Staveness also sank a pair of free throws and led the team with three steals.

Emily Rottier-Douangmala also reached double-figures for the fourth consecutive game with 13 points on 6 of 14 shooting with one free throw. Sophomore Kaylee Anzalone added nine points with two 3-pointers and three free throws, and also led the team with six rebounds and four assists.

Madison College still leads the all-time series 29-17 against the Samsons.

Up Next:

Madison College (1-13) is on the road for four of their first five games to start 2024, beginning Thursday, January 4 with a Region 4 contest at the College of DuPage (3-10). The WolfPack own a 28-16 edge in head-to-head meetings with the Chaparrals, who have taken three of the last four meetings. Tip off in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, is at 5:00 p.m.

Follow WolfPack women's basketball: Facebook | Twitter