NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Macalester women's basketball team took the lead early and never looked back, as the Scots defeated St. Olaf on the road, 71-57 this evening. The Scots earned their first MIAC victory of the season, and improve to 3-2 (1-1 MIAC).

First year guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) sunk the first basket of the game. The Oles responded with a bucket of their own, but the Scots commandeered a 9-0 run to take an 11-2 lead with 7:25 on the clock. The run was completed with a steal from junior guard/forwards Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) and a three-pointer from senior guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School). The teams battled back-and-forth to the end of the quarter, with the Scots leading 22-14 at the whistle. In the second, the Oles closed the gap to 22-19 but the Scots countered with an 11-4 run. First year guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) kicked off the run, sinking a shot assisted by Smith. Daley also ended the run, sinking one from beyond the arc, assisted by junior guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door), giving Macalester a 10-point lead, 33-23 with 3:34 left in the half. Daley added another stat before the end of the half, recording an assist to senior guard Caitlin Panos (North Andover, Mass./North Andover). The Scots led 35-26 at the break.

Starks, Smith, junior guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep), and sophomore forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) knocked down baskets to keep the Scots in the lead 45-33 while first year guard Acacia Edmond (Houston, Texas/Shadow Creek) tallied two assists in the first half of the third quarter. The Scots took a 14-point lead, 51-37 into the final quarter. The Scots increased their lead to as much as 24 points, 65-41, with 6:18 left. The Oles tried to come back with a 16-6 run, but the Scots' dominant performance secured the win, 71-57.

The Scots shot 44.6% from the field. Starks led the team with 17 points while Norquist had 10 points and nine rebounds. Smith, Daley, Edmond, and Norton each registered two assists on the night. Eleven Scots got on the scoreboard and the team led for 98% of the game.

Macalester's next game will be Saturday Dec 2 at 1:00 p.m. The Scots will head to Duluth, Minn. to take on St. Scholastica in a MIAC contest.