Mt. Mercy quickly answered back with an 11-0 run of its own, led by eight points on the run by Shanda Novak. Coe closed out the final four minutes of the first half with a 16-2 run to make it 38-23 at the break.
The Kohawks picked up where they left on in the second half, opening on a 14-4 run, increasing their lead to 25, the largest of the game. The Mustangs responded with a 19-6 run to cut the lead to 12, but couldn't get any closer the rest of the way.
Sophomore Kayla Lincoln (Maynard, Iowa/West Central) led the Kohawks with 18 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Brittany Norris (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) and freshman Kayla Waskow (Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton) added 16 and 17 points respectively. Sophomore Kaitlin Breitbach (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) had a game-high six assists. Novak led all players with 29 points and 11 rebounds for Mt. Mercy.
As a team, the Kohawks connected on 25-of-30 free throw chances, while the Mustangs were just 11-of-17 from the charity stripe. Coe shot an even 50 percent from the game, while hitting just three 3-point baskets, all in the second half.
Mt. Mercy dominated the game in the paint, outscoring Coe 40-22, while the Kohawks owned the edge on bench scoring, 19-8.
Coe returns to the floor Friday as they play La Verne in the Redlands Tournament in California.
