Duluth, Minn.- The St. Scholastica Saints had a home-court advantage to defeat the Oles of St. Olaf College. The Saints kept the lead throughout the game despite struggling in the 4th quarter. The Saints conquered the Oles 48-43. 

1st Quarter:

The game started slowly, with the first points coming from Kloey Lind (Pine City, Minn./Pine City HS), who scored a layup to put the Saints up 2-0. The Saints held the lead throughout the quarter, with contributions from Ava Haus (St. Michael/St. Michael-Albertville High School), Hope Carlson (Proctor, Minn./Proctor HS), Daysia Simmons (Albertville, MN/St. Michael HS), Jada Bierschbach (Richmond, Minn./Rocori HS), and Lind. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 14-12 in favor of the Saints.

2nd Quarter:

Twelve seconds into the second quarter, Lind scored a quick layup, extending the Saints' lead to 16-12. The teams then traded baskets, with Lexi Imdieke (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) hitting a three-pointer off an assist from Ava Riegel (Rogers, MN/Totino Grace High School) to extend the lead to 23-17. With three minutes left in the quarter, the Saints were ahead by a slim 23-21 margin. Haus nailed a three-pointer in the final minute, giving the Saints a 28-22 lead at halftime. 

3rd Quarter:

Haus opened the third quarter with a layup and quickly added a three-pointer, prompting the Oles to call a timeout to regroup. The quarter saw a flurry of turnovers and fouls, with the Saints committing eight turnovers and nine fouls while the Oles had four turnovers and six fouls. Gabby Voigt (St. Michael. Minn./St. Michael- Albertville HS) was effective at the free-throw line, making 4 of 6 attempts, helping the Saints maintain their lead. By the end of the quarter, the Saints held a 41-30 lead.

4th Quarter:

The Saints faced challenges in the fourth quarter, struggling to find their rhythm and managing to score just seven points. Despite their offensive struggles, the Saints' defense held firm and were able to hang on for a hard-fought 48-43 victory over the Oles.

Top Performers:

• Ava Haus (St. Michael/St. Michael-Albertville High School): The standout freshman led the Saints in scoring and defense during their victory over the Oles. Haus delivered a stellar performance, finishing with 15 points and contributing two key steals, further solidifying her all-around impact on the game.
• Kloey Lind (Pine City, Minn./Pine City HS): The sophomore had an outstanding performance. She finished with an impressive stat line of 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks, significantly impacting the paint and the boards. 

Up Next: The Saints (7-5) will be back in action on the road, facing the Gusties of Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday, January 11, at 3 p.m.