Metro Sports Report

Tomaszewski boosts No. 7 Eagles

Natalie Tomaszewski looked a little timid and confused at the beginning of the season for the Kirkwood women's basketball team, but she's blossomed into an important player for the Eagles now.

Tomaszewski gave the seventh-ranked Eagles a nice boost off the bench Saturday in an 81-47 victory over Iowa Lakes in an ICCAC Conference game at Johnson Hall.

Tomaszewski collected 12 points, six rebounds, two blocks, two steals and one assist in perhaps her best all-around game of the season.

The 6-foot-3 freshman from Shorewood, Wis., was not in the rotation earlier this season, but she's moved to the forefront following a season-ending injury to starting center Ashley Tull.

"I think in the beginning, I took it like 'Maybe this isn't for me,'" she said. "As I went through the season, I became more positive about the situation."

Tomaszewski has developed into a productive player for Kirkwood, which is locked in a tight battle with second-ranked NIACC for the conference title. She's scored 13, 12 and 12 points in three of the last six games and is more assertive on the floor.

Mustangs waste 16-point lead

PERU, Neb. - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team squandered a 16-point lead on the road Saturday and lost to 14th-ranked Peru State, 83-74, in a Heart of America Conference game in Nebraska.

The Mustangs took a 54-38 advantage with 15:34 remaining on a 3-pointer by Mychael Brawner-Henley, but Peru State promptly exploded for an 18-0 surge to grab the lead at 56-54.

Mount Mercy regained an advantage at 59-58, but it was all downhill from there.

Brawner-Henley poured in eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Mustangs. Dennis McKinney contributed 20 points, but nobody else reached double figures for Mount Mercy. Antwain Strong dished out 12 assists.

Bailey Basala did not play for the Mustangs.

No. 7 KCC softball wins openers

DAVENPORT - The seventh-ranked Kirkwood softball team began the 2019 season with a pair of victories at the Winter Dome Tournament in Davenport Saturday.

The Eagles topped the St. Ambrose junior varsity, 8-5, and whipped John Wood Community College, 12-3.

The games marked the debut of new Kirkwood Coach Eric Frese, who succeeded Joe Yegge after Yegge left to become an assistant at DePaul.

Jayme Finn, Skylar Ryan and Randyn Carter had two hits in the victory over St. Ambrose. Rachel Stewart and Finn scored twice. London Jackson drove in three runs.

Erin Hocker pitched five shutout innings for the victory in Game 1. She allowed only three hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.

Mustangs spiked by No. 6 Aquinas

The Mount Mercy men's volleyball saw its string of success against Top 10 teams come to an end Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs lost to sixth-ranked Aquinas, 3-1, in a non-conference match at the Hennessey Recreation Center. The set scores were 30-28, 25-20, 25-20, 25-20.

Mount Mercy gained a split for the day by sweeping Viterbo, 25-12, 25-20, 25-21.

The Mustangs have defeated top-ranked Grand View and 10th-ranked Clarke this season, but Aquinas held the upper hand Saturday and raised its record to a sparkling 15-0.

Dalton Hynek had 11 kills against Viterbo and Ben Steffen had 10. Jaime Araiza collected 19 assists and Matt Belling had 10 digs.