ST. PAUL, Minn. – To ring in 2023, Macalester College women's basketball hosted the Oles of St. Olaf for a MIAC matchup. The Scots took a few minutes to make a basket, but a strong second quarter gave the Scots momentum to cruise to a 57-51 victory. Macalester is now 3-7 (2-5 MIAC).

The Oles started off the game with a 10-2 lead before senior guard Solana Cushing (Minneapolis, Minn./South) then sank a three for Macalester to cut the lead to five with 5:47 on the clock. Sophomore guard/forward Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) put up four more points for the Scots while senior forward Emma LaFrenz (Edina, Minn./Edina) knocked in a free throw at the end of the quarter to trail 17-10.

Macalester came up big in the second quarter, limiting the Oles to just five points at the beginning of the quarter, and then it was all the Scots. Junior guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School) opened the 14-0 run at 7:13 on the clock with a layup. Sophomore guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep), Starks added baskets while Cushing sank another three to put Macalester within one, 22-21, with 4:12 on the clock. It was then LaFrenz whose layup put the Scots ahead and they never looked back. Norquist and sophomore guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) added the final three points of the quarter to take a 26-22 lead into halftime.

The Scots continued to increase the lead in the third, going on a 9-3 run. Palmen and Cushing got in on the action while Starks' three-pointer gave Macalester a double-digit lead, 35-25 with 4:39 on the clock. Junior guard Maia Pedrosa (South San Francisco, Calif./Urban School of San Francisco) also got on the scoresheet this evening, knocking down two free throws. Starks, Norquist, and Cushing added to the Scots' tally and led 42-35 going into the final 10 minutes.

Starks started out the fourth quarter with five points, to maintain the lead. The Oles were able to come within four points, 49-45, but Starks quickly answered back with a three-pointer and a jumper from Norquist to increase the lead again. Strong free throw shooting from Cushing and Starks sealed the 57-51 victory.

Starks led the team with 25 points, a steal, a block, an assist, and two rebounds. She also went 4-for-4 from the line. Cushing followed Starks with 11 points and three assists. LaFrenz continued to dominate in boards, totaling 15. Macalester shot 35.7% from the field and held St. Olaf to just 29.7% from the field.

Macalester's next game will be Saturday January 7 at 3:00 p.m. The Scots host St. Scholastica.