SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Valley City State freshman Ellie Braaten hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to lift the Vikings over Mount Marty Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon.
 
Mount Marty's Kaela Martinez made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds on the clock to build a 74-70 Lancer lead, but a layup by Hailey Roberts cut the lead in half with 5 seconds to go.
 
The Vikings had to foul, sending Kaity Hove to the charity stripe. She missed both free throws with her teammates prepared on defense, giving Adriana Torres the rebound. Torres found Braaten up the floor who then hit the game-winner from half-court as time expired.
 
Valley City State improves to 2-1 on the season and Mount Marty drops to 2-1 overall.
 
"I am so proud of our girls for not giving up and fighting through adversity," said head coach Vanessa Johnson. "Sometimes you get lucky, but wins are wins and we will take them any way we can get them."
 
The Vikings led by as much as 13 points in the first quarter but Mount Marty outscored the Vikings 26-19 in the second quarter to close the gap to 39-37 at halftime.
 
The lead changed just three times but remained close down the stretch. Mount Marty took its largest lead of the game at 72-66 after a pair of free throws by Haley Meyer with 1:29 to play. Torres sank a 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go. Hove missed four free throws in the final 25 seconds that kept VCSU within reach Saturday to set up Braaten's game winner.

VCSU shot 39 percent from the field (30-77), 30 percent on 3's (9-30) and 40 percent from the free throw line (6-15). Mount Marty shot 32 percent on field goals (19-59), 37 percent from 3-point range (7-19) and 73 percent on free throws (29-40).

VCSU held a 46-41 rebounding edge including 14 on the offensive glass. The Vikings also totaled 15 points off turnovers and 30 paint points Saturday.
 
Hailey Roberts scored a career-high 25 points and added six rebounds and four assists for the Vikings. Adriana Torres added 15 points and seven rebounds, and Ashlyn Diemert scored 14 points for VCSU.
 
Ellie Braaten totaled eight points and three steals, and Ellie Powell grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time.
 
Hove led four Lancers in double figure scoring with 17 points. Briona Jensen pulled down nine rebounds and Kyra Griese added four steals for Mount Marty Saturday.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU plays at Dakota Wesleyan University on Sunday. The women tip at 3 p.m. followed by the men at 5 p.m.