ST. PAUL, Minn. – In their last game before the new year, the Macalester women's basketball team hosted St. Olaf in a non-conference matchup. The Oles pulled ahead in the second quarter, but the Scots came back with a fire in the second half, and took the game 71-63. Macalester goes into the winter break with a record of 5-5 (2-4 MIAC).
The Oles got out to an early 6-2 lead, but the Scots quickly came back. First year guard
Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) sank a basket and junior guard/forward
Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) put one in from behind the arc to take a 7-6 lead with 5:15 on the clock. The teams battled back-and-forth and free throws from sophomore forward
Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) and first year guard
Acacia Edmond (Houston, Texas/Shadow Creek) took the game to a 12-12 tie after ten minutes. Norquist gave the Scots a slight 14-13 lead in the second before St. Olaf went on a 9-0 run. Edmond ended the Oles' run with an important three, closing the gap to 22-17 with 3:40 left in the half. Corbett put up two more baskets for the Scots, as Macalester headed into halftime down 33-21.
In the third, the Scots continued to battle back and put pressure on the Oles. With 4:44 left in the third, the Scots were down by 16, 45-29. However, from that point on, the Scots began their rally. Edmond successfully made both free throws and Smith and Norquist continued to chip away at St. Olaf's lead. With 32 seconds left in the quarter, Corbett, assisted by first year guard
Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan), sank one from behind the arc and then hit a layup just before the whistle to close the gap to 50-42 and spark the fire for Macalester.
Norquist and Edmond closed the gap to four points, 50-46. Yet the Oles' Chloee Smith hit a three to regain a seven-point lead. The Scots continued to fight and a three-pointer from Edmond closed the game to 55-54 in favor of the Oles. The Scots' pressure was finally able to take over the lead with 3:44 left on the clock, when Starks knocked down a three, and gave Macalester a 59-57 lead. Starks and Norquist hit a few baskets to lead 65-57. Daley and Starks were solid at the line in the last forty seconds of the game, combining to go six-for-six free throws, and win 71-63.
Macalester shot 47.3% from the field, including 9-for-11 in the fourth quarter alone. Edmond led the team with 17 points. Edmond also totaled three steals, five rebounds, and two assists. Starks registered 16 points. Norquist nabbed a team high nine rebounds and four assists, along with 12 points and three blocks. Corbett dropped 11 points and had a block.
The Scots return to action in January. Macalester gets back into MIAC action, against St. Catherine on Jan 3 in the Leonard Center. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m.
