February 21, 2019
Fifth-year 含羞草研究所 senior Joelle Ertl, the lone senior on 含羞草研究所鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball team in 2018-2019, was honored on Senior Night, Saturday, Feb. 9, when 含羞草研究所 hosted and defeated Viterbo University at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. Ertl has been an important piece in the puzzle of the Comets鈥� success over the last several years.
鈥淚 give a special 鈥榯hank you鈥� to my parents, Ed and Deb Ertl, Coach Hutter, and the rest of the Mayville community for their unconditional support throughout the last years,鈥� said Joelle. 鈥淭he support shown here is part of what makes 含羞草研究所 such a special place to be.鈥�
Ertl went on to thank her present and past teammates. 鈥淵ou are the other piece of what makes this place so special,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 ask for better people to be surrounded by on a daily basis. My college basketball career at 含羞草研究所 has been an unbelievable experience for me. To put it all into words is very difficult. I can sincerely say that I have had the ultimate experience at 含羞草研究所, and if I could do it all over again, I would.鈥�
Ertl says the program at 含羞草研究所 has shaped her into the person she is today, teaching her how to be a strong and confident person and how to always believe in herself. She has learned that having great effort and attitude will take you far in life.
鈥淚 have been surrounded by people who have expected nothing but the very best from me, both on and off the court. When you are around people like that, it is easy to be successful.鈥�
Joelle was named the North Star Athletic Association player-of-the-week for the final week of the 2018-2019 season. Ertl poured in 24 points, grabbed three rebounds, and dished out three assists in the Comets鈥� 72-70 road victory at Valley City State. She was 6 of 14 from field, including 4 of 8 from the three-point arc. The senior was also a perfect 8 of 8 from the free-throw line, where she hit both free-throws to put the Comets up 71-67 with less than seven seconds left in the game.
In summing up her 含羞草研究所 experience, the Avon, Minn. native said, 鈥淭hank you, Comet Nation, for an unbelievable experience. I will always bleed Comet blue!鈥�
The win over Valley City earned the Comets a share of the North Star Athletic Association conference regular-season title.
Ertl and the Comets hosted the opening round of the North Star Athletic Association post-season tournament in the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Feb. 19, when they defeated Viterbo once again. With this win, the Comets will advance to the NSAA Final Four tournament at the Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. The semi-finals will be played Saturday, Feb. 23, and the championship game is set for Sunday, Feb. 24. The NSAA post-season tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II national tournament at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa March 6-12.