By JASON JUNO

Daily Globe Correspondent

IRONWOOD -- A great game, a valiant comeback effort, but a sour result.

Finlandia University held off the Gogebic Community College Lady Samsons' second half comeback, 58-54, Saturday at the Lindquist Center at GCC.

"I challenged them at halftime to give a better effort," GCC coach Dennis Mackey said. "Even though I thought the effort was good in the first half, it wasn't good enough and the execution wasn't good enough. We were one or two points from being blown out of here and we kept playing, kept battling. I thought a few plays here and there, and we're right there."

The Lions brought a 32-20 lead into halftime with a suffocating defense between the three-point lines.

GCC fell behind 40-24 early in the second half, but Nichole Mazurek jump-started the comeback. She hit a free throw and then two of the next three shots underneath. Kristen Ruppe connected on the other one. It was 44-33 FU.

Still, the Lions made it tough to get inside and shoot and even harder to get offensive rebounds. Halfway through the half, GCC cut the lead to 48-40 as Carly Levra canned two free throws.

The lead teetered between seven and 11. Brooke Sirard of L'Anse was tough inside for the Lions. Kate Rogers of Iron River fought for steals and was a quick presence for Finlandia the whole game.

Janey Routheaux of Ironwood became a force for the Lady Samsons. She fought for baskets, stole the ball and hustled all over the court during the comeback.

With 1:53 remaining, GCC's Megan Tucker made a free throw and Finlandia led 57-52. GCC missed its next shot and the front end of a one-and-one. Ruppe then made two free throws, but Jessica Koski made a freebie with 4.5 seconds to go, sealing the game.

Ruppe and Mazurek led the Samsons with 16 and 15 points. Ruppe hit what Mackey thinks was her first career three. Sirard led the Lions with 19 points.

Mackey said the team can improve from the high quality of competition if it recognizes the level of play needed to win. FU is a four-year school that plays Northern Michigan University and Michigan Tech.

"To compete with them, that's good," Mackey said. "At the same time, I think we should have won because we match up with them and had the opportunity."

Finlandia brought the toughest defensive pressure GCC has seen all year. The full-court press gave the Lady Samsons problems, especially in the first half.

"I thought that stretch late in the first half was the difference in the game where we didn't handle their pressure," Mackey said. "We got a little passive. Instead of attacking it, we were trying to make soft passes and lob passes. It really frustrated me, because this is something we've been working on and I thought we were prepared for it. In the second half, it was like a different show. They put on their press and we were able to break through it and score a few baskets and get some easy ones."

GCC (9-7) hosts Silver Lake College Friday at 6 p.m.

Finlandia -- Kathryn Holsworth 2 0 0 3-4, Kate Rogers 1 0 1 1-3, Hilary Lucarelli 3 1 0 2-9, Kristina Nikkonen 4 0 1 3-9, Brigitte LaPointe 0 1 0 2-3, Samantha Voigt 0 0 0 0-0, Brooke Sirard 8 0 3 4-19, Jessica Koski 4 0 1 3-9, Lindsay Rajala 0 0 0 0-0, Crystal Vivian 1 0 0 0-2, Melanie Babcock 0 0 0 0-0. Totals: 23 2 6-9 18 58.

Gogebic CC -- Leslie Haapoja 2 0 0 1-4, Nicole Rosga 0 0 0 1-0, Janey Routheaux 2 1 1 0-8, Nichole Mazurek 7 0 1 4-15, Allison Coss 1 0 4 0-6, Andrea Harrington 1 0 0 1-2, Kristen Ruppe 3 1 7 2-16 Megan Tucker 0 0 1 3-1, Carly Levra 0 0 2 0-2. Totals: 16 2 16-25 12 54.

Half: 32-20 Finlandia.