Lady Bulldogs Win a Nailbiter at the 2026 Clash

The Lady Bulldogs were down two key players at the 2026 DAKXII/NEC Clash in Madison on Saturday, February 7. Sophomore guards Avery Schuneman and Adison Pauli were missing from the Milbank lineup due to injuries sustained in recent games. Their fellow teammates, however, stepped up to perform with aplomb. Bailee Hendricks did it the fancy way  – with six 3-pointers for 18 points in the game. Belle Pauli put up a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Milbank outrebounded Tri-Valley 32 to 11. The entire team reworked their strategy to get the job done in a nailbiter Milbank won 46-44.

The Lady Bulldogs worked their way to a 9-1 lead early in the first quarter. Tri Valley (TV) then scored two more points and B. Pauli nailed two free throws to move the needle to 11-3. With over five minutes already chewed off the clock, Milbank finally gave TV’s Hailey Sorenson a good look, and she drained a three. The score went to 11-6.  After the rebound, Milbank turned over the ball and Sorenson launched another triple to get the Lady Mustangs to within two at 11-9.

Milbank made another turnover, and TV’s Lilian Schlueter was fouled by Violet Johnson. Schlueter’s shot was no good. Danika Fluth fouled Susie Schuneman to send her to the line for Milbank. S. Schuneman hit the first and missed the second to get the Lady Bulldogs to 12-9.  Anna Neugebauer tracked down the rebound for Milbank, but S. Schuneman’s shot was short. Lady Mustang Mattie Huwe sent one up, but it was no good off the glass. Violet Johnson, however, at  the other end of the court, had no trouble sinking a 3-pointer from the baseline to end the scoring in the first quarter and keep the lead with Milbank at 15-9.

The second quarter started with Sorenson dropping in a basket to score TV’s 11th point – all made by Sorenson.  Neugebauer got the ball for Milbank, but she traveled.  Schlueter’s shot went in, but it wouldn’t stay in. Milbank’s next shot wouldn’t go in either, but Hendricks’ second try from beyond the arc was spot-on. The Lady Bulldogs went up 18-11.

Milbank was scoring in spite of the intense pressure from Tri-Valley’s defense. Steals, other turnovers, fouls, and jump balls were the flavor of the day. TV managed to get a field goal to get the score to 15-11 until S. Schuneman grabbed a rebound and got the ball to Hendricks. Hendricks knocked in another triple to claim her ninth point of the game and get Milbank to 21-14 with under three minutes to go in the half. 

TV answered with an unsuccessful triple. Neugebauer had her shot blocked, and the Lady Bulldogs lost the ball out of bounds to TV.  Neugebauer picked up her second foul to send Huwe to the line. Huwe made both to get the score to 21-16. Bree Townsend added two points for Milbank on a putback to give Milbank a seven-point lead again at 23-16. 

Schuneman pulled off a steal, but TV stole it back. Peyton Vogt fouled Neugebauer. After a tie-up with the arrow favoring Milbank, Huwe fouled B. Pauli, but she couldn’t get her free throws to fall. Townsend muscled in for the rebound and got the ball back to B. Pauli. B. Pauli went back to the rim and hit one off the glass. Milbank led 25-16 with under a minute to go in the half. TV decided to hold their shot and go for one before the buzzer, but with three seconds remaining they plowed into the lane and were cited for an offensive foul. Milbank tossed up a Hail Mary, but the half ended with Milbank still ahead at 25-16.

The third quarter started with both teams hustling, but no points were scored until two minutes in when B. Pauli timed things just right under the basket to put up two. Milbank led 27-16.  Sorenson missed her next shot. Milbank took a timeout. After the huddle, B. Pauli took one up and in to collect her 14th point of the game and put Milbank ahead 29-16. Sorenson walked with the ball to hand it over to Milbank. Huwe then tipped it away. Peyton Vogt attempted to get a bucket in transition, but Schuneman fouled her. Vogt stepped to the line and landed two free throws for TV. The score sat at 29-18. 

With 4:50 to go in the quarter, things got a little messy. Hendricks traveled, Huwe blasted out a three that was no good.  Vogt snagged the rebound, but Townsend fouled her to pick up her second personal. Rowyn Gacke missed a shot for TV. TV lost the ball out of bounds, and the officials called a timeout to clean up some liquid on the court under Milbank’s basket.  After the chaos, Hendricks couldn’t get her shot to fall. Sorenson had the same luck. Gacke eventually got to the line to secure two free shots and pull TV to 29-20. Milbank committed their 17th turnover. TV gained possession,  but Huwe’s shot only teased. It rolled around the rim and refused to go in.

B.Pauli went up strong on her next shot and TV fouled her. She toed the line to collect  two more points for Milbank. The Lady Bulldogs led 31-21. Sorenson hit a triple to get TV back in the game at 31-24, but Hendricks answered loudly with  another triple from the baseline for Millbank. Milbank went back to leading by 10 at 34-24.

The Lady Dawgs sent TV back to the line to get one point. Pauli also went to the line. She came up empty, but she soon found herself at the line again to take home one. The score sat at 35-25.  Sorenson then made a trip to the line for TV. She hit two to get the score to 35-27. The Lady Mustangs also sneaked in a shot at the buzzer to narrow the gap to 35-29. 

In the fourth quarter, both teams showed spunk. Huwe tried a triple, but it was no good. Milbank also missed a 3-pointer. Schlueter fouled Schuneman. The ball was tipped by TV, but Schuneman got the save.  B..Pauli also fouled Gecke. Hendricks then turned things around again fast. She fired a 3-pointer dagger from the left wing to get the Lady Bulldogs up 38-29. TV managed a steal and got the ball up and in for two-points. Milbank was still in the lead, though, at 38-31. 

Another jump ball was called with  5:50 left on the game clock. The arrow favored Milbank. Milbank took their time until deep into the shot clock, but their shot was partially blocked and it produced no points. Huwe then took it to the rim for two for TV. Milbank led 38-33, but the Lady Mustangs were hot in pursuit. Milbank got the ball, but TV robbed them again. Huwe’s shot failed, and Milbank fouled Huwe. She picked up a point at the stripe. Things were tight at 40-38.  With four minutes to go, B. Pauli grabbed a rebound and got the ball to Hendricks. Hendricks slammed in a 3-pointer! Her sixth of the game for 18 points. Milbank led 43-38. 

With three minutes  to go in the  game, Milbank threw the ball out of bounds. A timeout followed. After the break, Huwe had it taken away  by B. Pauli. B. Pauli then stopped downtown to deliver a triple. Milbank went up 46-38. 

Huwe replied with a  three to take TV  back to  46-41. With 1:37 left on the clock, Huwe missed her next one by a mile, but TV managed to get control. Hendricks wrested it away for Milbank, and Coach Howard called a timeout for the Lady Bulldogs to talk.

After the chat, Milbank waited until 10 seconds remained on the shot clock and one minute on the game clock. But before they could get their shot off, TV fouled. It was TV’s fifth team foul in the quarter, and Schuneman headed to the line. With 57 seconds on the clock, tension was high. S. Schuneman’s shots wouldn’t fall.  

TV captured  the rebound and Vogt launched a long-range rocket to knock down three. Milbank then took it down court, clinging to just a 2-point lead at 46-44 with 39 seconds to go. With 23 seconds to go, Huwe tipped it out of bounds, and the ball belonged to Milbank. TV called a timeout. After players returned to the court, Coach Howard surveyed the scene and called back-to-back timeouts for Milbank. 

With 20 seconds whittled off the clock and 3.3 seconds remaining, TV bet it all on a 3-pointer. But  there wasn’t a snowball’s chance. Milbank had out-foxed them 46-44 to take the “W”!

For the Lady Bulldogs. Pauli and Hendricks teamed up to score 38 points. Johnson made three. Neugebauer and Townsend each had two points. S. Schuneman made one. Townsend and B. Pauli each added four assists. Neugebauer contributed two.

Neugebauer added nine rebounds to B. Pauli’s 13. S. Schuneman and Townsend each contributed four.  Lydia Gall made two rebounds. Neugebauer and S. Schuneman each made a block. Hendricks snared three steals. Neugebauer and B. Pauli each grabbed one.  

Milbank’s lucky numbers of the day were 4 and 7. The Lady Dawgs hit 47 percent of their shots from the floor, 47 percent from long range, and 47 percent from the stripe.

Sorenson led TV with 18 points, including three triples and two rebounds. Huwe and Vogt each scored eight points and added a rebound. Gacke had six points and two rebounds. Davey made four points and three rebounds. Huwe and Gacke made five steals apiece. The Lady Mustangs hit 28 percent of their shots overall. They made 22 percent from behind the arc and 72 percent from the charity stripe.

MILBANK            15     10     10     11     46

TRI-VALLEY         9       7      13    15     44