Salt Lake City, UT – In a nail-biting finish, the Westminster Griffins women's basketball team held off Chadron State College for a hard-fought 69-66 victory on Saturday night. With five seconds remaining, Teuila Nawahine calmly sank two free throws to give the Griffins a three-point cushion. A desperation half-court shot from Chadron's Jordyn Stokes rattled off the rim and backboard before Abby Conlee secured the final rebound, sealing the win for Westminster.
The Griffins were led by Za'kkria Robinson, who delivered an efficient 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting while adding six rebounds and three steals. Maunayia Harrigfeld recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Nawahine contributed 12 points and four assists. Conlee played a key role on the boards, grabbing eight rebounds and chipping in eight points.
Stat Leaders:
Chadron State (5-19, 4-14 RMAC) put up a strong fight, led by Megan Counts' double-double performance of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Camren Morris added 12 points, including three three-pointers, while Liberty Line provided a spark off the bench with 11 points. The Eagles shot 37.9% from beyond the arc but struggled to contain Westminster's interior scoring, as the Griffins outscored them 38-24 in the paint.
Chadron State Stats:
- Megan Counts: 12 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 block, 1 steal (31 minutes, 6-11 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT)
- Camren Morris: 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers (22 minutes, 4-6 FG, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FT)
- Liberty Line: 11 points, 1 assist (16 minutes, 4-8 FG, 3-5 3PT, 0-0 FT
After an explosive first quarter in which Westminster built an early 18-9 lead, Chadron State responded with a 24-point second quarter to take a 33-27 lead into halftime. The Griffins regained control in the second half, using an 18-16 third quarter to pull within four before outscoring Chadron 24-17 in the final period to complete the comeback.
With the win, Westminster (6-20, 5-13 RMAC) picks up their fourth home victory on the season. The Griffins now hit the road to face Western Colorado on Tuesday, Feb. 25, before returning home to celebrate Senior Night on Feb. 27.
