Hawks Defeat Iowa Western 55-53; Svehla Picks Up 500th Win

Members of the Northeast Community College 2014-15 women’s basketball team include (front row, from left) Brooke Bauer, O’Neill; Cameron Eddie, Belden; Octavia McGraw, Omaha; Megan Trinder, Hollywell, Qld, Australia; Jayla Mayes-Jackson, Minneapolis, MN; and Kara Valasek, Palmer. Back row (from left) Jordyn Berglund, student manager, Ena Viso, Copenhagen, Denmark; Hannah Riley, Richmond Hill, GA; Sydney Koel, Sioux Falls, SD; Janea Bunn, Springfield, MA; Yasmin Miller, Mountain Creek, Qld, Australia; Annie Szczepaniak, Bellevue; Allie Millard, Valentine; and Matt Svehla, head coach. Not pictured, Dr. Michael Cooper, assistant coach. (Courtesy Northeast Community College)

February 3, 2015

NORFOLK – Matt Svehla said his team’s latest victory was more important than a milestone in his coaching career. With the Hawks 55-53 win over #8 Iowa Western Community College here Saturday, the Northeast Community College coach picked up his 500th career win.  The Reivers (21-2) defeated the Hawks last month in Council Bluffs, IA, 65-64.

The Hawks struggled in the first half in field goal shooting and the from the line and were down 25-18 at halftime. In the second half, the Reivers were up by eleven, but the Hawks chipped away and eventually took the lead 47-46 with a little over 3:30 to play. The two teams went back on forth on the lead with the Hawks holding on for their 20th win of the season.

Svehla’s players marked the occasion by presenting their coach with a signed framed photograph of the team. Dr. Michael Chipps, Northeast president, praised Svehla for his work off the court as well. “Coach Svehla does a ‘full-court academic press’ with his student-athletes. Thank you, Coach Svehla for being a mentor to our student-athletes for over 20 years and for taking them to the next level on and off the court.”

Svehla, a native of Clarkson, is in his 21st full season as the head women’s basketball coach at Northeast Community College. During his tenure, the program has posted a 500-153 record.

The Hawks (20-4) will be in action this Wednesday as the team hosts Central Community College in the Cox Activities Center on the Northeast campus in Norfolk. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.