The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team dropped a 77-70 decision to the University of Nebraska at Kearney Lopers in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Hays, KS. With the loss, the Bulldogs finish the 2021-22 season with an overall record a 24-5. The Bulldogs earned an NCAA Tournament bid via. their win in the NSIC Championship game a few weeks ago in Sioux Falls, SD. UMD was given the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Central Regional, and were matched up against No. 6 Nebraska Kearney. 

5th-year senior Ann Simonet led the way for the Bulldogs with 16 points, while Maesyn Thiesen poured in 13. Payton Kahl, another 5th-year senior, finished the game with ten points, while also notching five rebounds and one steal. Brooke Olson, the NSIC North Division Player of the Year tallied eleven points and nine rebounds, just shy of a double-double. Additionally, 5th-year senior and NSIC Second Team nominee Sarah Grow posted a block and three rebounds to go with four points. 

"These three (Kahl, Simonet, and Grow) are one of the most talented, kindest, and best class of leaders that I've ever been able to coach," said Head Coach Mandy Pearson. "What they've done in their five years at the University of Minnesota Duluth on and off the court is incredible. I don't even have the words to describe how incredible these three are, and how much I'm going to miss them."

The Lopers brought it to the Bulldogs in the opening minutes, taking an early 4-0 lead. Sarah Grow would use a nice spin move inside to get UMD on the board. Maesyn Thiesen would then knock down a jumper to nod the game at 4-4. UMD would take it's first lead of the game at 4:12 thanks to another basket from Grow. The Lopers would respond with five straight baskets of their own to open up a 14-8 advantage with just under two minutes remaining in the first quarter. UMD wouldn't go away. Back-to-back baskets from Olson, followed by two made jumpers from Simonet, the Bulldogs cut the deficit to six at half time. 

UMD pushed back in the early moments of the second half. A three-pointer from Olson, followed by a nice basket in the paint from Kahl, drew the Bulldogs to within one. On the next UMD possession, two made free throws from Simonet would give the Bulldogs their first lead since the first half. Through the rest of the third quarter, the two sides would battle through nine lead-changes. Late in the third quarter, Nebraska Kearney would take control and took a 53-48 lead to the fourth quater of play. UMD pressed throughout the fourth, but the Lopers offense continued to answer. With 3:54 left to play, Nebraska Kearney pushed their lead to 13. However, a series of three pointers from Thiesen and Simonet would cut the lead to just five with under a minute remaining. The Bulldogs attempted to extend the game by putting the Lopers on the free throw line, however, it wouldn't be enough. UMD fell to Nebraska Kearney 77-70 in their opening round matchup.