ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Continuing its stretch of road games, the Macalester women's basketball team competed in a MIAC matchup against Saint Benedict. The Scots battled hard, but fell 67-52 to the Bennies. Macalester is now 2-6 (1-4 MIAC).

Senior guard Solana Cushing (Minneapolis, Minn./South) started off strong for the Scots with a three while sophomore guard/forward Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) added four more points to go up 7-6. Sophomore guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) knocked in a pair of free throws to take the lead, 11-10 with 2:58 on the clock. However, a deep three from Saint Benedict had the Scots trailing 13-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Saint Benedict went on a 6-2 run to open the second quarter. Starks and Cushing were able to get Macalester within four with 5:56 on the clock. Cushing would knock in four more points for the Scots, but the Bennies took a 31-21 lead into the break.

Macalester had a hot streak the second half, going on a 6-0 run led by Starks and junior guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School). The Bennies answered with a three, but the lead was cut back down to four by senior forward Emma LaFrenz (Edina, Minn./Edina) and sophomore guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) for a score line of 34-30 in favor of the Bennies. Saint Benedict would end the quarter on a 13-8 run to end the third, 47-38.

The Bennies lead was brought up to 12 before Macalester reduced it back down to nine, with points from Cushing, Starks, and Norquist. Starks would knock down seven more points but the Bennies held off Macalester, 67-52.

Once again, Starks led the team with 20 points and six rebounds. She also totaled two blocks, two steals, and an assist. Cushing followed Starks with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Macalester shot 41.5% from the field.

The Scots finish out 2022 on the road against Bethel on Saturday Dec 10 at 3:00 p.m.