ST. PETER, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team dropped a MIAC game on the road to No. 8 Gustavus, 65-45 Wednesday night at Gus Young Court. The Scots are now 9-9 overall and 4-7 in the conference, while the Gusties improve to 17-1, 10-1 MIAC.

Early in the first quarter, sophomore guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) tallied Macalester's first five points to put the visitors on top, 5-2. Gustavus closed out the quarter with a 12-2 run to take a 14-7 advantage heading into the second quarter. Momentum stayed with the Gusties, who pushed their lead to 16, shooting 53.3 percent from the field in the second quarter to outscore the Scots, 19-10 and take a 33-17 halftime lead. Macalester made just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) of their field goal attempts in the first half, with Gustavus scoring 26 points in the paint.

The second quarter proved pivotal to the outcome of the game, as the Scots almost played the Gusties even after halftime. Sophomore guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) scored eight of Macalester's 15 points in the third quarter, as Gustavus extended its lead to 20, 52-32 with one quarter to play. Although the Scots made just two field goals in the third quarter, they went to the line 15 times, making 11 (73.3 percent). In the final quarter, the Gusties lead by as many as 24 before Macalester ended the game with an 11-7 run, including six points from senior forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep).

Daley registered 13 points, four rebounds and two steals to lead the Scots. Senior guard Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) had 12 points and a team-best seven rebounds, with Norquist contributing 10 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. Emma Kniefel and Rachel Kawiecki each scored 14 points to lead Gustavus.

Macalester returns home to host St. Scholastica in another MIAC game on Saturday, Feb. 1. The game starts at 1:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.