Notables
-MLC Sweeps the season series
-CSS had 23 points come off the bench
-Saints shot 76.5 percent from the free throw line
-Swanson records a double-double for the Saints
DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) - The St. Scholastica women's basketball team fell to Martin Luther College on Saturday by a final score of 70-59 despite a 10-point run in the last five minutes of the game.
The Action
The first quarter alone saw the lead switch between the teams 11 times. Neither offense was able to get a foothold over the other during the period, and the largest point difference the quarter saw was two points. The first 10 minutes ended with the Knights hitting two layups in a row to put them ahead 19-17 headed into the second quarter. The Saints would keep the game close, but would never regain the point advantage.
The second quarter started with a good jumper from Kayla Swanson (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) for the Saints to tie the score at 19-19. A seven-point run immediately following that put the Knights up and kept the Saints offense busy trying to catch up. That seven point lead was the largest disparity of the quarter, though CSS would not get closer to the lead than three points before halftime. A final jump shot by the Knights with a minute left in the first half made the score 33-28.
In the third quarter, the Saints fell a little further behind, though they did not make it easy for Martin Luther. Michala Walther (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) started the second half with a 3-pointer, which was then followed by a MLC six point run to bring the score to 39-31 in favor of the Knights. The teams traded shots after that, keeping the point disparity relatively constant for the remainder of the quarter. The Saints got the last points of the quarter, thanks to a successful free throw by Walther.
The Saints made their final push in the fourth quarter, turning the game into a suspenseful one. A 5-3 point run in favor of the Knights in the first four minutes of the final quarter pushed MLC's lead to 10 points, but the Saints would not back down. A layup by Walther jump started things for the Saints and got the ball rolling in their favor. From there, CSS went on a seven point run and brought the lead to within one point with 4:16 left in the game. Some successful free throws bailed the Knights out though, pushing the lead just out of reach once more. The final 54 seconds of the game saw nine Martin Luther points to St. Scholastica's two, making the game's final score 70-59 in favor of the Knights.
Notable Performances
Swanson, St. Scholastica's lone senior, had a double-double night for the Saints with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Walther, continuing to prove her value to the team, collected 15 points and six rebounds. Rachel Weyenberg (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) had 15 points and six rebounds as well.
For MLC (8-13, 6-7 UMAC), Jade St. Germaine had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the team. Mariah Schoof had 18 points, followed by Grace Schultz with 14 points and 11 rebounds of her own.
Up Next
The Saints (7-14, 5-8 UMAC) hit the court again next Saturday in an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contest and bridge battle versus the University of Wisconsin-Superior at 3 p.m. in Superior.
