WINONA, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team wrapped up the 2024-25 season with a MIAC loss at Saint Mary's University, 67-58 Saturday afternoon at Saint Mary's Fieldhouse. The Scots end the year with a 12-13 record overall and a 7-11 mark in conference play. The Cardinals, who already had clinched a spot in the MIAC Playoffs, improve to 13-11 overall and 11-7 in the MIAC.

Saint Mary's opened the first quarter with a 12-5 run before baskets by seniors Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) and Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) helped Macalester close the quarter with a 5-2 run to make the score 14-10 after the first 10 minutes. In the second quarter, Norquist answered a Cardinals free throw with a pair of baskets to make it a one-point game, 15-14 with 8:50 on the clock. Momentum swung in favor of Saint Mary's, as the hosts used a 14-1 run to take a 28-15 advantage. The lead grew to as many as 14 points before the Cardinals took a 33-20 lead into the halftime break.

In the third quarter, Saint Mary's continued to maintain the upper hand, extending its lead to as many as 24 points with a 15-4 run to start the quarter. The Scots came within 18, 50-32 with 2:20 left in the quarter before the Cardinals took a 54-33 edge heading into the fourth. In the final quarter, Macalester made a push, reeling off an 11-5 run sparked by nine points from Starks to make the score 59-44 with 5:43 remaining.

After Tessa McMahon made a three-pointer and a free throw for Saint Mary's, senior guard Jessica Sabbagh (Eau Claire, Wis./Regis) hit a driving layup and answered two more free throws with a three-pointer to make the score 65-49 at the 3:00 mark. The teams traded baskets, with Sabbagh scoring again, before Starks stole the ball and scored to pull to within 14, 67-53. Norquist scored off a turnover and Sabbagh drained another three in the final minute to make it a nine-point game, 67-58. But the comeback ran out of time, as the Scots came up short in the season finale.

Starks tallied 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half of her final game as a Scot. She also swiped five steals and grabbed five rebounds. Starks finishes her career with 1,652 points and 639 rebounds to rank second and eighth, respectively all-time at Macalester. Averaging a MIAC-leading 18.6 points per game this season, Starks is the only women's basketball player to lead the MIAC in scoring for three straight years since the 1999-2000 season.

Norquist registered 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals in a solid all-around performance. She concludes her outstanding career with 957 points and 619 rebounds to rank 13th and ninth all-time at Macalester. Sabbagh scored a career-high 10 points, all in the second half. Fellow seniors Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door), who scored three points and had two assists, and guard Camille Samuel (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory) also played in their final game in the Orange and Blue.

Macalester, coached by Katie Kollar, posted 12 wins this season, the most since the 2011-12 squad went 12-13. The Scots will return 11 players for next season.