Notables:
-Conference opener for both teams
-CSS outscored Rams in every quarter but the fourth
-Saints scored 35 points off the bench
-Brannen pulled in a season high eight rebounds

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica women's basketball team faced North Central University on Friday night and came home with its first victory of the season, with a final score of 70-55. 

First Half Push
The first quarter was a close battle between the Rams and the Saints, but started with a Sam Brannen (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) 3-point field goal. The Saints pushed for a five point lead, but then the Rams went on to score six unanswered points to get the point advantage. The lead would then switch three times in the final five minutes of the quarter, which ultimately ended with the Saints leading 20-14 after an eight point run, which they would extend to a 16 point run in the second quarter. The teams traded baskets back and forth during the quarter, with the Saints staying well ahead of the Rams. The half ended with the Saints leading North Central 39-25.

Second Half Finish
The third quarter was more of the same from the Saints offense as they kept pushing to extend their lead. The Saints went 8-for-17 on field goals during the third quarter, with Holly VanKempen (Elbow Lake, Minn./West Central HS) and Mel Weisbrick (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS (Hibbing CC)) each contributing five points to the scoreboard. As the third quarter expired, the Saints led the Rams 60-38 and showed no signs of slowing down. The fourth quarter, however, saw a better offensive push from the Rams, who outscored CSS for the only quarter of the game. The Rams held CSS to 10 points, but it was too little too late, and the lead was too far out of the reach. The Saints finished the game well ahead of the competition with a final score of 70-55.

Notables Performances
Brannen led the team with 11 points and a season high eight rebounds, along with two points. Michala Walther (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) was behind her with 10 points and three rebounds. Danielle Cieluch (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) went 3-for-6 on field goals and collected six points.

The Rams had three players with double digit points. Lizzy Swanson had 16, followed by Rachel Stevenson with 13, and Annabel Morrisroe who tallied 12 points along with 13 rebounds. 

Up Next
The Saints (1-5, 1-0 UMAC) will be back in action on Saturday in St. Paul when they take on the University of Northwestern for their second Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contest of the season.