Northland freshman Josie Peterson drives toward the basket during the first quarter of Friday night’s season-opening game for the Northland women’s basketball team against Dakota College at Bottineau. The Pioneers defeated the NJCAA Division II Lumberjacks 72-42. (Photo by Scott DCamp)
by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Northland Community & Technical College women’s basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a pair of lopsided home wins at the Northland Classic held Friday and Saturday.
The Pioneers, who are ranked fourth in the NJCAA Division III preseason coaches poll, opened the two-day event with a 72-42 win over NJCAA Division II Dakota College at Bottineau. The Pioneers took firm control of the game early, building a 25-9 advantage over the first 10 minutes of play, before taking a 46-14 lead into the locker room.
The Pioneers got big contributions from sophomore Jade Reese and freshman Kenzie Dahl. Reese scored 20 points and finished the night with a team-high five steals, while Dahl added 14 in her collegiate basketball debut.
Faith Lilly was the top rebounder for the Pioneers with 10 boards, and sophomore Brooklynn Sarauer led the Pioneers in assists with five in her first game for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers were even more impressive Saturday afternoon with a 69-34 win over Canadian Mennonite. The Pioneers took control early with a 23-6 scoring edge through one quarter of play, and they led 38-22 at the half.
After allowing 16 points in the second period, the Pioneers clamped down defensively, allowing just 12 points over the final 20 minutes.
Reese, 13, freshman Faith Lilly, 12, and Dahl, 11, all reached double figures in scoring for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers remain at home this weekend for a big match-up against third-ranked Minnesota West. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. The Pioneers continue the homestand Saturday with against Ridgewater College at 1 p.m.
Dakota College at Bottineau at Northland Community & Technical College November 7, 2025
42
72
Final 1 2 3 4 T
Dakota College at Bottineau 9 5 16 12 42
Northland Community & Technical College 25 21 13 13 72

Box Score

Dakota College at Bottineau
Player MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
STARTERS
0Jersey Vogel
 40 8-15 1-4 6-6 2 2 4 3 2 1 5 1 23
5Talia Vargas
 23 0-0 0-0 0-2 3 6 9 2 4 1 7 2 0
10Brooke Anderson
 40 1-7 1-6 0-0 0 3 3 2 2 0 8 0 3
12Kenya Poitra
 33 1-7 1-7 0-0 0 3 3 0 1 0 3 3 3
13Mel Upfield
 20 1-4 0-0 2-2 0 3 3 0 0 11 6 3 4
RESERVES
3Josie Wintermute
 20 2-4 0-0 1-2 2 1 3 3 0 1 3 1 5
4Bailey Clott
 24 2-10 0-7 0-0 1 0 1 0 1 0 4 1 4
TMTeam
 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 15-47 3-24 9-12 8 18 26 10 10 14 36 11 42
31.9% 12.5% 75.0%

Northland Community & Technical College
Player MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
STARTERS
2Brooklynn Sarauer
 28 3-7 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 4 2 0 5 1 6
3Ashlyn Nelson
 33 2-7 1-3 0-0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 1 5
4Faith Lilly
 20 3-9 0-0 0-0 6 4 10 0 1 0 3 0 6
11Jade Reese
 29 9-13 0-1 2-3 2 0 2 3 5 0 2 1 20
12Josie Peterson
 38 3-9 0-0 3-7 2 2 4 2 1 0 5 2 9
RESERVES
0Lola Garrett
 7 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 3 3 1 0 0 0 2 0
1Danika Gustafson
 4 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 0
5Aubrey Stoskopf
 11 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10Jerlyn Lunsetter
 3 3-4 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 8
13Sierra Westberg
 5 2-3 0-0 0-0 2 5 7 0 3 0 0 0 4
21Kenzie Dahl
 16 6-9 0-1 2-3 1 3 4 1 3 0 2 0 14
TMTeam
 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 31-63 3-8 7-13 13 20 33 14 16 0 25 10 72
49.2% 37.5% 53.8%

Game Information
Date/Time November 7, 2025 – 5:30 PM
Location Thief River Falls, MN
Technical fouls Dakota College at Bottineau-None ; Northland Community & Technical College-None .
Officials ,,

Canadian Mennonite University at Northland Community & Technical College November 8, 2025

(2-8)

34

(2-0)

69
Final 1 2 3 4 T
Canadian Mennonite University 6 16 5 7 34
Northland Community & Technical College 23 15 15 16 69

Box Score

Canadian Mennonite University
Player MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
STARTERS
3Zia
 31 2-10 1-4 1-2 1 6 7 0 0 0 3 2 6
5Betelihem
 27 2-9 0-6 1-2 0 1 1 3 0 0 5 4 5
8Chanelle
 29 1-6 0-2 2-4 1 2 3 1 1 0 4 1 4
9Jessica
 35 2-5 1-4 2-5 0 4 4 0 3 0 3 0 7
11Sara
 38 5-8 0-1 0-0 2 12 14 1 3 4 4 3 10
RESERVES
0Alyssa
 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
2Avery
 14 0-3 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 4 1 0
4Madeline
 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
6Victoria
 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7Aly
 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12Kristine
 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13Keara
 13 0-6 0-0 0-0 1 4 5 1 0 0 2 1 0
14Jersey
 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15Hannah
 7 1-3 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 2
TMTeam
 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 13-50 2-20 6-13 7 30 37 7 8 4 27 12 34
26.0% 10.0% 46.2%

Northland Community & Technical College
Player MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
STARTERS
0Lola Garrett
 10 2-3 0-0 0-0 2 0 2 1 1 0 0 2 4
2Brooklynn Sarauer
 31 3-9 0-4 0-0 1 4 5 4 1 0 3 1 6
3Ashlyn Nelson
 25 2-10 1-4 0-0 1 3 4 1 2 0 2 2 5
4Faith Lilly
 29 5-7 0-0 2-5 3 2 5 2 6 0 3 3 12
11Jade Reese
 31 6-15 0-0 1-1 7 6 13 5 2 1 2 2 13
RESERVES
1Danika Gustafson
 4 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
5Aubrey Stoskopf
 5 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
10Jerlyn Lunsetter
 13 1-5 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 3
12Josie Peterson
 23 3-11 0-3 1-3 7 1 8 1 2 0 1 1 7
13Sierra Westberg
 21 3-8 0-0 2-2 2 3 5 1 1 0 0 0 8
21Kenzie Dahl
 7 4-11 0-2 3-4 0 1 1 1 3 0 1 2 11
25Sheynelle Weaver
 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TMTeam
 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 29-82 2-18 9-15 23 24 47 16 19 1 12 15 69
35.4% 11.1% 60.0%

Game Information
Date/Time November 8, 2025 – 4:00 PM
Location Northland
Technical fouls Canadian Mennonite University-None ; Northland Community & Technical College-None .
Officials ,,