Kitzman, Hegstrom power Storm over Buena Vista

STORM LAKE, Iowa -  Katie Kitzman scored a team-high 19 points, Jeni Hegstrom recorded her first career double-double and Simpson won the battle between two of the nation's top scoring teams with an 81-70 win over Buena Vista at Siebens Fieldhouse Wednesday night.

Facing the third-highest scoring team in the nation, Simpson - the nation's fifth-highest scoring team - held Buena Vista over eight points below its season average in the win.

A senior from Gillman, Iowa, Kitzman paced the Storm (11-3, 4-1 IIAC) on 7-of-15 shooting including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Hegstrom (pictured), a junior from Perry, Iowa, tallied career-highs with 13 points and 11 rebounds. In her first career start, sophomore forward Jessica Fraser tied a career-high with 12 points and junior Amy Hamilton added nine on 3-of-7 three-point shooting.

Aubrey Hauswirth led the Beavers (9-5, 3-2 IIAC) with 21 points and nine rebounds. The Iowa Conference's leading scorer, Margo Muhlbauer came away with 19 points and nine rebounds and Brittany Gunn added 11 points.

After Simpson jumped out to an early 9-0 lead, Buena Vista fought back into the game and trailed by six after a pair of Joceyln Kock free throws made the score 31-25 with 5:26 remaining in the first half.

The Storm held BVU scoreless over the next 2:45 while mounting a 12-0 run in taking an 18 point lead, eventually entering the locker room with a 45-29 halftime lead.

Simpson didn't let up in the second half and led by as much as 20 in the final stanza, never allowing its lead below double digits.

With the first of two crucial games in the books, Simpson returns home Saturday afternoon to face league-leading Coe (10-5, 5-1 IIAC) at Cowles Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.