Notables
-Swanson and Walther combined for 45 of CSS' 56 points
-Northland made only one field goal in the fourth quarter
-CSS led for only two minutes
-Bench Points: CSS30, Northland-16
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) –
Kayla Swanson (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) scored nine fourth quarter points, including five points in the final 20 seconds as the St. Scholastica women's basketball team finished the game on a 15-3 run to get past Northland College 56-52 on Saturday at the Reif Gymnasium.
All 'Jills in the First
The LumberJills scored the first six points of the contest and led for the entire first quarter. Northland led by as much as eight and ended up ahead 19-13 at the end of the quarter.
Saints Get Going in the Second
St. Scholastica began the second period with a 7-0 run to take a 20-19 lead following a
Danielle Cieluch (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) jumper. The LumberJills regained the lead with a pair of free throws with 7:45 left in the half and then both teams went scoreless for the next five minutes.
Four straight points by
Kayla Swanson (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) gave the Saints a 27-24 lead in the final minute. However, Northland converted a 3-point play with under 10 seconds to play to tie the halftime score at 27-27.
Northland Takes Lead Entering the Fourth
The third quarter was tight for the first eight minutes as neither team had a lead of more than three points. The LumberJills then ended the quarter with a 7-0 run to take a 45-37 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Comeback
The LumberJills maintained that eight-point lead with five minutes to go in the game as St. Scholastica made only one field goal in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. However, Northland would only make one more field goal the rest of the way.
The St. Scholastica rally began with a Cieluch jumper with under five minutes to play.
Michala Walther (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) then drained a 3-pointer to cut the margin to three. A
Sam Brannen (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) jump shot made it a one point game with three minutes to go.
Northland responded with a 3-pointer to extend the lead back to four, but Walther answered with a 3-pointer with a minute to go.
On the ensuing possession Northland would get an offensive rebound, but would turn it over, handing the ball back over to the Saints. With 20 seconds to play, the Saints would get a shot that was off the mark. The LumberJills grabbed the rebound, but Swanson tipped the ball away to get the steal and then made a layup, while being fouled. She would convert the three-point-play to give the Saints a 54-52 lead with 18 seconds left.
Northland's tying attempt was off the mark and Swanson then sealed the game with a pair of free throws to make the final score 56-52.
Top Performances for CSS
Swanson had a career-high 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had four assists and four steals. Swanson was also 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Walther added 22 points and also had four steals.
Top Performances for the Opponent
Nicole Huber had 21 points to pace the LumberJills.
Up Next
The Saints (3-6, 2-1 UMAC) are back on the road next weekend for more UMAC action as it takes on Martin Luther College on Friday night and Bethany Lutheran College on Saturday.
