The last time the Briar Cliff University women's basketball team got off to a 5-0 start, it reeled off 32 more wins in a row before losing in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division II national tournament.

Mike Power was in his first stint as head coach back in that glorious campaign of 1996-97, when the Chargers were 37-0 before falling to Doane at Angola, Ind., the last season since then that the national tournament hasn't been held in Sioux City. From 1992-98, Power compiled a 127-73 record and took teams to three consecutive national tournaments.

He returned to the helm in 2006 and his teams were 20-42 heading into this season. The Chargers have not only won their first five games, but done so in impressive fashion, averaging 91.8 points while holding their opponents to 69.8.

That's more like the Power teams of old, who relied on defense and a fast-paced game to wear down their foes.

"We felt like we had some talent on this team, but the thing we didn't know and found out quickly in preseason practice, is that we have really good team chemistry and that means a ton," said Power, whose team opens Great Plains Athletic Conference play at Dana today. "The kids really gelled well in the off-season. They've had success early because they worked hard early."

It helped that Liz Grider, arguably the best player in the GPAC, returned after earning first team all-league honors last season. Grider, a 5-11 senior from Chaska, Minn., has averaged 25.4 in the first five games and collected a team-high 19 steals.

The emergence of Kylie Dilla, a 5-6 sophomore from Cherokee and Iowa Central Community College, at point guard has allowed Grider to move to wing, which is her natural position. Morgan Brown, another Iowa Central transfer from Fort Dodge, is averaging 12 points.

"Kiley is a true point guard who sees the court well and also scores, and Brown is just a great athlete and a very good basketball player," said Power. "And having Liz Grider doesn't hurt. She's at a different level than everybody else.

"We're finally in year four (of his second stint at BCU) and we're starting to get the kids to play the way we want them to play and it's been a lot of fun for them. We all know that one of these games our offense just isn't going to be there, so one thing we try to do defensively is create a lot of offense."

Megan Salcedo, a 5-11 sophomore from Omaha Marian and one of three returning starters, averages 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 62.2 percent from the field. Christa Stewart, a 6-1 sophomore from Glenwood, Iowa, and another returning starter, scores 7.4 points, same as Dilla's average.

Power said junior Lindsay Determan has also provided valuable play at point guard. Freshmen Kelsey Evans and Kela Cihak, along with junior Britney Below, are key reserves. Evans is the daughter of former Briar Cliff men's basketball standout Steve Evans.

"These kids are starting to think like the kids we had in the '90s," said Power. "When they walk on the court they are expecting to win. The confidence is slowly coming."

Dana, winless in six starts, is led by junior Kalen Carlson with a 14-point scoring average. Briar Cliff has won five straight over the Vikings and 13 of the last 14 meetings.