Duluth, Minn. -- St. Scholastica used a dominant second half—punctuated by a blistering third quarter from Ava Haus (St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville High School)—to pull away from St. Catherine and secure a 66–39 MIAC victory Friday night inside Reif Gymnasium. The win marks the Saints' fourth straight, as they continued to build momentum in conference play.
The game opened as a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find rhythm offensively in the first quarter. St. Catherine held a slim 8–6 edge after 10 minutes, but the Saints began to settle in during the second quarter. St. Scholastica found success attacking the paint and knocking down timely perimeter shots, gradually swinging the momentum. A balanced scoring effort and improved defensive pressure helped the Saints take a 26–22 lead into halftime.
Any doubt was erased coming out of the locker room, as St. Scholastica delivered its best quarter of the night in the third. Ava Haus (St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville High School) put on a show, igniting the offense with a barrage of three-pointers and creating turnovers that fueled the Saints' run. Haus connected from deep multiple times in the quarter—finishing the game with 22 points, including six three-pointers—while also adding four steals to disrupt St. Catherine's rhythm. Her scoring burst helped St. Scholastica outscore the Wildcats 27–7 in the third quarter, turning a close contest into a commanding advantage.
The Saints' ball movement and defensive intensity were on full display during the surge. Evie Schmitz (Burnsville, MN/St. Louis Park) orchestrated the offense with confidence, contributing 15 points and timely assists, while Kloey Lind (Pine City, MN/Pine City HS) added 10 points and eight rebounds to provide a steady presence inside. St. Scholastica also capitalized on turnovers throughout the quarter, converting steals into transition points and forcing St. Catherine into rushed possessions.
With a 53–29 lead entering the fourth, St. Scholastica stayed composed and continued to control the pace. The Saints' defense remained locked in, limiting St. Catherine's scoring opportunities while rotating players and maintaining energy down the stretch. Savannah Schlueter (Hutchinson, MN/Hutchinson HS), Jackie Johnson (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji HS), and Daysia Simmons (Albertville, MN/St. Michael HS) each provided valuable minutes as the Saints closed out the game.
St. Scholastica finished the night shooting efficiently from beyond the arc and forcing 21 turnovers, underscoring a complete team performance that paired offensive execution with disciplined defense. Led by Haus' explosive third-quarter performance, the Saints never looked back, sealing a convincing home victory.
Up next, the Saints (7-1, 3-0 MIAC) travel to California to take on California Lutheran University and Chapman University.
