PIERRE -- Mitchell senior Taylor Volesky scored a game-high 27 points, but it wasn't enough as the Kernels fell to Pierre in the season opener.
"It was a hard-fought game the whole way through," head coach Wes Morgan said. "We had our chances, but just didn't finish that well. I thought we got a little bit hasty there going down the stretch, maybe took some shots that were tired, ones we could have made better decisions on. Late in the game, we kind of cut corners and made some poor decisions."
Mitchell, which continually clawed back from deficits, did not score in the final 2:16 of the game after Hallie Misiaszek brought the Kernels within two. The Kernels fell 63-56 in the Eastern South Dakota Conference game.
Missed foul shots and inopportune turnovers offset Volesky's effort. The Kernels connected on 16-of-24 from the free-throw line and gave the ball away 17 times, including 12 in the second half and seven in the final frame.
While Volesky netted half of Mitchell's points, three Pierre players scored in double digits. Senior forward Sydney Palmer scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half and Jory Mullen added 12 of her 15 in the second half. Sophomore guard Hallie Jerome added 10.
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"Hats off to them," Morgan said. "The Mullen girl had a nice second half, hit some big shots. Palmer had a good first half, Mullen had a great second half."
Misiaszek and Erin Farnham each added nine points, while Farnham and Volesky each grabbed nine rebounds.
The Kernels (0-1, 0-1 ESD) host Harrisburg at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.
Pierre 63, Mitchell 56
Pierre (1-0)
Hallie Jerome 3 2-3 10, Nikky Farnsworth 4 0-0 8, Jory Mullen 6 2-2 15, Sydney Palmer 9 2-2 19, Jordyn Lemieux 1 0-0 3, McKenna Halverson 3 2-2 8, Tori Thorpe 2 0-0 4.
Mitchell (0-1)
Erin Farnham 2 2-2 7, Julie Knight 2 0-0 5, Taylor Volesky 9 9-10 27, Ally Goldhammer 2 2-4 6, Hallie Misiaszek 4 1-2 9.
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Mitchell 13 28 47 56
Pierre 17 27 48 63
3-pointers - Mitchell 2 (Farnham, Knight), Pierre 5 (Jerome 2, Lemieux, Mullen, Palmer). Rebounds - Mitchell N/A (Farnham 9, Volesky 9, Misiaszek 4), Pierre N/A (Palmer 10, Halverson 6, Mullen 4). Assists - Mitchell N/A (Volesky 3, Farnham 2, Knight), Pierre (Farnsworth 4, Cody Ryckman 4, Halverson 3).
