Houghton, MI. – In the 2024-25 GLIAC opener, the Parkside Rangers defeated the Michigan Tech Huskies in a thrilling overtime battle. Parkside, who trailed for most of the contest, forced overtime with a last-second driving layup by Peighton Nelson. They went on to control overtime with numerous clutch shots and secured a 79-75 victory. Parkside is now 5-0 in road games, marking the longest road winning streak documented in our available statistics.
Inside the Box Score:
- Cassidy Arni led Parkside with 20 points (8-14 FG).
- Chloe Van Zeeland (10 points, 8 rebounds) and Sheridan Flauger (11 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) neared double-doubles.
- Peighton Nelson also reached double figures with 10 points.
- Every player in the nine-player rotation scored at least two points.
Quote from Coach Conely:
"Big road win for our squad! I am so proud of how we continued to battle – that game had a lot of ups and downs, but we were resilient and made big plays down the stretch. What an effort by the entire squad! Winning on the road requires a lot of toughness – hats off to our team for their heart and finding a way."
How It Happened:
A recurring theme this season has been the slow offensive starts for the Rangers, and that remained true in this battle against Michigan Tech. Four minutes into the contest, the Huskies held a narrow 7-2 lead in a very physical game. The Rangers, who have struggled from three-point range this season, saw Jaelyn Derlein sink the team's first made triple of the night to pull them within two. Despite the potential shift in momentum, Michigan Tech maintained control of the quarter, leading 19-12 after the first ten minutes of action.
In the second quarter, things continued to look bleak for Parkside as they managed just three points in the first four and a half minutes. However, their defense and physicality held Michigan Tech to only four points during that span. Finally, the Rangers began disrupting Michigan Tech's rhythm when Chloe Van Zeeland knocked down a three-pointer. Ninety seconds later, Peighton Nelson attacked the basket, finished through contact, and completed a three-point play to pull the Rangers within two. With two minutes left in the half, Cassidy Arni delivered a go-ahead triple, giving the Rangers their first lead of the contest. Michigan Tech continued to fight and despite being outscored by six points in the quarter, took a 30-29 lead into halftime.
After shooting under 30% from the field in the first half, Parkside gradually found their shot. Sheridan Flauger wasted no time changing the narrative by connecting on her first three-point attempt of the half. Although the Rangers improved their shooting percentage to 41%, they were still outscored in the third quarter, and Michigan Tech carried a 51-46 lead into the final frame.
Despite trailing for three quarters and facing the challenges of a road conference opener, the Rangers didn't back down. Lillie Petersen got Parkside rolling in the critical fourth quarter, nailing a triple to bring them within three points with seven minutes to play. With six minutes left, Kendal Zeiter found Chloe Van Zeeland under the basket, who gave Parkside their first lead of the second half, 56-55. The Rangers began finding their stride and flipped the game upside down.
The game was tied with two minutes remaining, and in her return to the rotation, Kendal Zeiter delivered a highlight play. Zeiter hit a remarkable fallaway shot, scooping the ball off the backboard left-handed to give Parkside a late 62-60 lead. However, Michigan Tech responded, taking a 64-62 lead with seven seconds to go.
Head Coach Jen Conely called a timeout with the game on the line, putting the ball in Peighton Nelson's hands. Nelson took the inbound pass, drove straight to the hoop, and laid it in off the glass to tie the game in the final seconds. Nelson's clutch play sent the game to overtime.
Parkside was lights out in overtime. Already holding a two-point lead, Lillie Petersen stepped up again, hitting a triple to push Parkside's advantage to 69-64. After a Michigan Tech two-point basket, Cassidy Arni pulled down a critical offensive rebound and converted it into a layup, restoring the five-point lead.
With 40 seconds remaining, Sheridan Flauger delivered the shot of her season. Flauger drilled a catch-and-shoot three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to extend Parkside's lead to six. Her dagger sealed the win as the Rangers celebrated an opening night victory in Houghton. In overtime, the Rangers shot 5-7 (71.4%) from the field and 2-3 (67%) from beyond the arc.
This game felt like déjà vu for the Rangers, as they also defeated Michigan Tech in a thrilling matchup on their home court last year during the GLIAC quarterfinals.
Next:
The now 5-2 Parkside Rangers will continue the opening GLIAC weekend in Northern Michigan. They will take on the Wildcats at noon (ET) at Vandament Arena in Marquette. For coverage of the event, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
