ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester women's basketball team was back in Minnesota today, facing the Northwestern (MN) Eagles. The Scots came out strong, defeating the Eagles 71-59. Macalester is now 1-2 on the season.

After going down 5-2 to start the game, Macalester held the Eagles to only one additional point in the quarter. Sophomore guard/forward Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) led the charge scoring eight points to take a 10-5 lead. Junior forward Emma LaFrenz (Edina, Minn./Edina) and sophomore Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) each knocked in a basket of their own to take a 14-6 lead at the end of the quarter. Northwestern started the second quarter off with a three-pointer, but LaFrenz increased Macalester's lead to 10, sinking an and-one to go up 19-9. The Eagles fought back and tied the game at 23 with 2:28 left in the half. Norton would knock in two free throws and assist LaFrenz on a layup, but Macalester trailed 27-28 at the break.

Again, Northwestern started the quarter with a three-pointer, but Macalester would battle back. Junior guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School) and senior guard Solana Cushing (Minneapolis, Minn./South) sank back-to-back-to-back threes to go up 40-34 with 7:01 on the clock. Macalester continued to increase its lead, finishing the half up 12, 50-38. Sophomore guard Camille Samuel (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory), Starks, Norton, and first year Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) all scored to stretch the lead.

In the fourth, the teams continued to battle, but Macalester continued its dominance. Starks and Cushing combined for the first seven points to go up 57-44. Starks would knock in eight more points along with buckets from sophomore guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep), Corbett, and LaFrenz to win 71-59.
Starks led the team with a career high 26 points. LaFrenz followed with 13 points and five rebounds. Both Starks and LaFrenz recorded eight rebounds. Macalester shot 54.4% from the field and made 5-of-8 free throws.

Macalester's next game will be a conference matchup against Augsburg. The Scots will host the Auggies on Saturday November 19 at 3:00 p.m.