Sammy Kozlowski had a night to remember. The senior guard established career highs in points and steals to lead the University of Minnesota Duluth in the 78-71 victory over the University of Mary.

She dropped 26 points and racked up eight steals while also adding four rebounds and three assists in the win that helped the Bulldogs split the season series and force a tie in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with the Marauders.

Kozlowski had her best shooting performance of the season knocking down 10 of her 15 attempts and made five freebies at the line. Her 26 points just etched by her previous career total of 25 she set earlier this season at Mary. The senior from New Berlin, Wis., willed UMD in the second half. She netted 17 of the club's 40 points in the final 20 minutes including 11 fourth-quarter points when her team needed them the most.

Determined to rebound after a slow start last Saturday, UMD found itself down 7-0 before senior forward Emma Boehm opened the scoring for the Bulldogs. Boehm helped kickstart the UMD offense as the Bulldogs took a 10-9 lead off a three-pointer by sophomore guard Ann Simonet with 6:47 to go in the first. Simonet also came up with a career-tying scoring effort tonight as she notched 18 points, tying her 18-point outing against Northern State University last season. UMD had seven different scorers in the first and pushed the lead into double digits and led after the first quarter for only the fourth time this season. 

The Marauders chipped the lead down to three in the second quarter but the Bulldogs maintained their pace as UMD held its footing and outscored Mary by two in the the second and third quarters. Sophomore forward Sarah Grow gave the team its largest lead at 58-45 to start the fourth. Grow had an easy uncontested layup on the dish from junior forward Katie Stark, who collected seven points and a team-high seven rebounds. After that bucket, Kozlowski took over. Kozlowski had an answer to every basket the Marauders scored. She had a stretch of seven straight points for the Bulldogs and she along with Simonet closed the final minute at the free throw line.

UMD (8-4 overall; 7-2 NSIC) shot 26-for-57 from the field for 45.6 percent while Mary shot 26-for-49, good for 53.1 percent. The Bulldogs played outstanding defense as they directed the Marauders into 23 turnovers. It marked the fourth time UMD has forced at least 20 turnovers in a game this season and tonight's 23 was a season-high forced. Collectively, the Bulldogs gathered a season high 16 steals and Kozlowski came up two steals shy of tying the school single-game steals record.

Mary (9-3 overall, 7-2 NSIC) dropped its first game in five outings.Gabbie Bohl, who had 30 points in the previous matchup, had 26 points to lead the Marauders and Macy Williams posted 22 points. Cassie Askvig recorded the lone double-double of the night with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs can make it five straight conference win at home when they take on Minot State University tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m.


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