MARSHALLTOWN?- The Iowa Central women's basketball team will play in its third consecutive regional final.
The Tritons (27-5 overall) knocked off Southeastern 73-67 to advance to the regional final.
Iowa Central will now face fourth-ranked Kirkwood (28-2) at 3 p.m. Saturday in Marshalltown for the right to advance to the national tournament.
"Both times we played them (Kirkwood) they shot extremely well,'' said Iowa Central head coach Craig Carlson. "We didn't shoot the ball well in the first two games.
"Hopefully we get refocused and have have some energy for (today).''
Iowa Central received a monster game from sophomore Mika Rodewald.
Fact Box
IOWA?CENTRAL 73,
SOUTHEASTERN?67
Iowa Central - Mika Rodewald 36, Lauren Christianson 13, Alison Nagel 10, Rebekah Rolling 10, Morgan Markert 10, Carly McRae 2.
Southeastern - Hazaria Washington 16, Natalia Merkulova 16, Breana McCullough 9, Breanah Manley 3, Cherelle Hicks 2, Jennifer Reittinger 1.
Halftime score:?Iowa Central 36-27.
The Manson Northwest Webster graduate scored 36 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. It was Rodewald's second consecutive 30-plus scoring outburt.
"Rodewald was huge,''?Carlson said. "Big time players play big in big games.''
Lauren Christianson also had a big game for the Tritons, scoring 13 points and pulling down seven rebounds.
"Lauren played probably her best game of the year,''?Carlson said. "She was outstanding on the defensive end."
The Tritons fought through an injury to Lauren?Bengen and held off Southeastern.
Iowa Central won the rebounding battle 47-35.
Alison Nagel and Rebekah Rolling had 10 points each for the Tritons.
"We had great effort from some kids that don't get a lot of minutes,''?Carlson said. "(Allison) Seibert, (Carly) McRae and (Gina) Scarpaello played some key minutes.