Anna Jaumandreu

NORFOLK, Neb. — The start of the second quarter signaled the beginning of the end for the Marshalltown Community College women’s basketball team.

Second-seeded Northeast CC outscored the third-seeded Tigers 23-4 in the period and continued to pull away for a 78-46 victory over MCC in Wednesday’s opener of the NJCAA Division I Region XI Tournament.

It marked the third lopsided win in as many meetings for Northeast (16-10), which advances to face top-seeded Iowa Western (22-8) in Saturday’s 2 p.m. region final in Council Bluffs.

For Marshalltown CC (6-21), it brings to a close the fourth-straight losing season. The Tigers have lost 24 consecutive games against ICCAC D-I opponents, including four-straight regional first-round losses at Northeast.

On Wednesday night, the Tigers put up a fight for the entirety of the first quarter, but the game got away from them in the second. Northeast used a 23-2 run spanning 5 minutes, 46 seconds of the second and third quarters to take its lead from 23-17 to 46-19.

In the end it was MCC’s third loss by at least 30 points to Northeast this season.

The host Hawks were led by 11 points apiece from Jade Blackburn, Irene Sanz and Caitlin Orton. Kyla Moore contributed five points but led Northeast with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals off the bench.

Northeast commanded a 35-24 advantage in rebounding and forced MCC into 22 turnovers, which they converted into 26 points. The Hawks scored 46 points and only trailed once, 5-4.

Marshalltown’s shortlived lead was provided by a pair of free throws for freshman Danielle Smith, who shared team-high scoring honors with eight points. Eva Carballo also scored eight points and led the way with seven rebounds, while Smith pulled down six boards.

Whitley Ervin added seven points off the bench for the Tigers, Dana Stokes, Clara Solsona and lone sophomore Anna Jaumandreu scored six points apiece, and Laurin Lyons chipped in with five.

NJCAA Region XI Tournament

First Round

Wednesday, Feb. 27

Northeast 78, Marshalltown CC 46

Championship

Saturday, March 2

No. 2 Northeast (16-10) at No. 1 Iowa Western (22-8, 4-0), 2 p.m.

——

Northeast CC 78, Marshalltown CC 46

At Norfolk, Neb.

MCC (6-21) — Dana Stokes 2-6 2-2 6, Eva Carballo 3-9 2-2 8, Anna Jaumandreu 2-5 2-2 6, Clara Solsona 2-8 0-0 6, Danielle Smith 2-8 4-4 8, Whitley Ervin 2-2 3-4 7, Carla Collado 0-3 0-0 0, Laurin Lyons 1-5 2-2 5. TOTALS 14-46 15-16 46.

NORTHEAST (16-10) — Eriana Brown 1-2 0-0 2, Jade Blackburn 4-7 2-3 11, Lauren Hunstad 3-7 0-0 7, Irene Sanz 5-12 0-0 11, Teagan Pompa 2-8 0-0 5, Kori Fischer 1-2 1-2 4, Kyla Moore 1-3 3-4 5, Caitlin Orton 5-6 1-1 11, Katie Richards 0-0 2-4 2, Blake Mann 1-3 0-0 3, Jacalyn Schwanebeck 1-3 0-0 2, Macey Kulhanek 4-8 1-2 9, Emina Hadzihusejnovic 3-7 0-0 6. TOTALS 31-68 10-16 78.

MCC 13 4 14 15 — 46

NORTHEAST 16 23 24 15 — 78

3-Point Goals–MCC 3-12 (Solsona 2-5, Lyons 1-2, Stokes 0-2, Collado 0-3), Northeast 6-24 (Blackburn 1-1, Fischer 1-2, Mann 1-2, Hunstad 1-3, Pompa 1-4, Sanz 1-7, Moore 0-1, Orton 0-1, Kulhanek 0-1, Schwanebeck 0-2). Rebounds–MCC 24 (Carballo 7), Northeast 35 (Moore 7). Assists–MCC 4 (Jaumandreu 2), Northeast 16 (Moore 4). Total Fouls–MCC 15, Northeast 14. Fouled Out–none.