ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team lost a close battle with Colorado College, 62-57 to wrap up the Twin Cities Invitational Saturday afternoon in the Leonard Center. The Scots, who had won five in a row, are now 5-2, while the Tigers remain unbeaten at 4-0.

Macalester hosted the Twin Cities Invitational for the first time this year and went 1-1 along with Simpson College. Colorado College won both of its games, while North Central University, which lost to Simpson, 84-44 earlier today, went 0-2.

Seven points from sophomore guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) helped Macalester get off to an 11-2 start in the first quarter. Colorado College closed the period with a 7-2 run to make the score 13-9 Macalester after 10 minutes of action. Held without a point in the first quarter, senior forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) made up for lost time, scoring the first eight points for the Scots in the second quarter in building a 21-12 advantage. Senior guard Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) took over from there, tallying seven points to push Macalester's lead to 28-16 with 2:10 left in the half.

After Kayla Mackel scored for the Tigers, junior forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) beat the buzzer with a three from the top of the key to send the Scots into halftime with a 31-18 lead. Macalester shot 48.3 percent from the field in the first half while holding Colorado College to 27.6 percent.

Determined to get back in the game, the Tigers opened the third quarter with a 12-5 run to cut the Scots' lead to 36-30 with just over five minutes on the clock. Two baskets from Norquist and another by Starks pushed the lead back to 10, 42-32. With under a minute left in the quarter, first year guard Samantha Smith (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) drained a three-pointer for a 47-36 edge. Colorado College ended the quarter with a pair of baskets to make the score 47-40 Macalester at the end of three quarters.

In the final quarter, the Scots used baskets by Starks, Norquist and senior guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door), plus a free throw from Starks, to take a 55-47 lead with 6:27 remaining. Colorado College went 8-of-10 from the free throw line over the next 4:08 to tie the score at 55-55 with 2:19 left. Corbett answered with a layup for a 57-55 Scots' lead, but Mackel hit a three-pointer for the Tigers with 1:25 to play to give Colorado College its first lead of the game, 58-57. After Macalester came up empty on its next possession, Laura Strenk made two free throws for a 60-57 lead with 21 seconds left. Starks' three-point attempt at the other end was blocked, and two more free throws gave the Tigers a 62-57 win.

Starks led the Scots with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Norquist added 16 points. Sydnee Smith finished with nine points. Mackel paced the Tigers with 24 points.

Macalester plays an exhibition game against former MIAC opponent and current Division I squad St. Thomas on Monday, Nov. 25. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Schoenecker Arena.

Twin Cities Invitational - Nov. 22-23 at Macalester College
Friday, Nov. 22
Colorado College 76, Simpson 52
Macalester 43, North Central 38

Saturday, Nov. 23
Simpson 84, North Central 44
Colorado College 62, Macalester 57

For more information, visit the Twin Cities Invitational website.