DULUTH, Minn. — The College of St. Scholastica women's basketball team used a balanced offensive attack and timely defense to secure a 60–52 victory over St. Olaf College on Wednesday night at Reif Gymnasium. The win improves the Saints to 16–6 overall and 11–4 in MIAC play, while St. Olaf falls to 5–17 (0–15 MIAC).
After a low-scoring first quarter, St. Scholastica rallied in the second and fourth periods to build separation and hold off late pushes from St. Olaf. The Saints' intensity on both ends of the court in the second half proved decisive in a game that featured spirited play from start to finish.
Senior guard Ava Haus (St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville High School) led the Saints with a game-high 26 points, pacing St. Scholastica's scoring with aggressive drives and timely jumpers. Haus also contributed across the stat sheet and was a constant presence in the lane, finishing 9-of-23 from the field and 4-of-12 from 3-point range while connecting on all four of her free-throw attempts.
Joining her in double digits was Evie Schmitz (Burnsville, MN/St. Louis Park), who added 16 points, including three 3-pointers to help swing momentum late in the second quarter. Schmitz combatted pressure defense and helped the Saints sustain offensive rhythm whenever St. Olaf trimmed the lead.
Kloey Lind (Pine City, MN/Pine City HS) made her impact felt on both ends, contributing 7 points and a team-leading 9 rebounds, sparking multiple key possessions with second-chance opportunities. All told, St. Scholastica finished with 31 total rebounds, controlling more boards at crucial moments.
For St. Olaf, Erin Schauer led the Oles with 15 points, connecting on three triples and keeping St. Olaf competitive throughout. Bree Wilkerson added 11 points and nine rebounds, and Elise Hahn chipped in 10 points, but the Oles couldn't consistently contain the Saints' perimeter threats down the stretch.
St. Olaf's 19 first-quarter points kept the game close early, but St. Scholastica answered with improved defense and efficiency in transition, outscoring the Oles 16–8 in the second quarter and 17–14 in the fourth to seal the victory. The Saints also benefited from winning the turnover battle and converting at the free-throw line in the late stages.
The Saints will now close out their regular season with three pivotal conference matchups against Saint Mary's, Gustavus Adolphus, and Concordia. A win in any of their next three games clinches a MIAC Playoff berth for the Saints, as they currently sit in a tie for third place.
