Wednesday night was a big night for Kirsten Klitzke as she scored a game high 23 points and her 2000th career point to lead the Watertown-Mayer Royals to a 71-58 win over the Rochester Lourdes Eagles in the Class AA quarterfinals at Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.
Klitzke became the third player in Royal history to score 200 career points. The other two were Marissa Janning and Klitzke's teammate Claire Killian.
It took awhile for both teams to find the basket with Eleanor Plager hitting from Dinkytown 1:23 into the game. Sarah Zuelske would would strike first for the Royals to cut the lead to one and Killian's three pointer would put them ahead. The game would be tied at seven and nine and Rochester Lourdes would go into the lead on a couple of three pointers from Wynter Bergner that would put them on a 6-0 run. Watertown-Mayer would regain the lead as Monika Czinano, who will play next season at Iowa scored five straight points, including a three point play. The Eagles would go back in front on a basket from Alyssa Ustby. Klitzke would click on offense with a couple of three pointers to put the Royals ahead. It would be her third three of the first half and Watertown-Mayer led 30-28 at halftime.
The Eagles would score quickly to open the second half on Ustby's basket. Megan Holiday would score to open the half on a 4-0 run. The Royals would bounce back on a couple of three pointers from Killian and Emma Ragner would also tally for Watertown-Mayer. The score would be tied at 44 and Rochester Lourdes would regain the lead on Ustby's basket. But it would be the last time the Eagles would lead as Monika Czinano would score four consecutive points to put the Royals ahead to spark an 11-0 run that would end on a basket from Josie Hansen. No matter how many times Rochester Lourdes would foul, Watertown-Mayer would put the game away at the free throw line. The Royals went 13-17 from the line in the second half.
Other players in double figures for Watertown-Mayer were Killian with 22 points and Monika Czinano added 20 and picked up 16 rebounds. Bergner led Rochester Lourdes with 17 points. Ustby added 15 points and seven assists.
The Royals improved their record to 27-3 and will face the Sauk Centre Mainstreeters in the Class AA semifinals Friday, March 17 at 8 PM at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus. The Eagles fell to 21-10 and will take on the Minnehaha Academy Redhawks in the Class AA consolation semifinals Thursday, March 16 at Ganglehoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul.
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