St. Paul, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team played its 22
th game of the season, hosting St. Catherine. The Scots second half rally fell short, and the Wildcats won 55-47. The Scots are now 8-14 (6-13 MIAC).
After a slow start for the Scots, giving up the first five points of the game in the first three minutes, junior guard
Solana Cushing (Minneapolis, Minn./South) sank a three-pointer. After another bucket a piece, each team put on solid defensive performances for the next minute and a half, before first year guard/forward
Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) tied the game up at 7 with 4:35 left in the quarter. The Wildcats would then take a 6-1 run. First year guard/forward
Peyton Starks (St. Louis, MO./John Burroughs School) would make an and-one to close the gap to two points. However, St. Catherine would make a last-second bucket to take a four-point lead, 15-11 into the second quarter.
The Wildcats continued to increase their lead going on a 5-0 run to start the second quarter. The Scots would not be deterred and continued to battle back, starting with a pair of free throws from senior guard
Celine Sabbagh (Eau Claire, Wis./Regis). A back-and-forth battle ensued for the final six minutes of the half. Sabbagh's buzzer beater jumper put the Scots within seven, trailing 26-19, at the break.
In the third, the Scots continued to show a solid defensive effort, holding the Wildcats to only two baskets in the first two minutes of the half. Norquist and junior forward
Emma LaFrenz (Edina, Minn./Edina) would answer back to the Wildcats, to bring the deficit back to seven. St. Catherine continued their offensive press, knocking down a three-pointer to start a 9-6 run to end the quarter ahead of the Scots 39-29.
The Scots' persistence shined in the second half, cutting the Wildcats' lead down to three in the first seven and a half minutes. LaFrenz and Starks each tallied two layups while Cushing sank a three and made a jumper, challenging the Wildcats with a scoreline of 45-42. However, the Scots' rally was cut short after the Wildcats put up an important three and a field goal to go up eight with 1:30 on the clock. Sabbagh would register five more points, but strong free throw shooting from the Wildcats determined the Scots' fate. The Scots fell 55-47.
Sabbagh led the Scots with 12 points. La Frenz posted 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard
Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School) and Starks each tallied three assists.
The Scots next game is Saturday, February 12. They travel to play Bethel at 1:00 p.m.
