Box Score Box Score
Game Reaction: Head Coach Aaron Kahl

ST. PAUL – Despite its young age, the Northwestern College women's basketball team had a good showing in its 2011-2012 debut, falling to Hamline University 69-59. The Eagles were within a point of the host-Pipers with 3:24 to play, but Hamline scored the final nine points of the game to earn the victory.

The Eagles kept Hamline in check most of the first half, trailing by two or three for most of the half. A Je'Naya Brown three-pointer gave the Pipers a six-point edge with under two minutes to go in the period, but Mollie Sir (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) answered with a three of her own to cut the lead to 26-23 at the break.

Hamline's lead grew as the second half began, and the Pipers found themselves up 39-29 just four minutes into the second 20-minute period.  With Hamline still leading by double digits with seven minutes to go, NWC's zone defense started to work its magic, and the Eagles got the lead down to seven, then five. Jessica Fife (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo), who just came off of the NWC volleyball court on Friday, capped off a 12-2 run by the Eagles to bring the Purple and Gold within a point at 60-59 before the Pipers closed out the game with a couple buckets and a few free throws.

Northwestern, whose starting lineup in cluded three freshmen, a sophomore and a senior, finished the game with a 45 percent shooting performance to go with a 41.7 percent mark from behind the three-point line.  Hamline was able to take advantage of several second chance opportunities, capitalizing on 12 offensive rebounds to finish the game at 49 percent from the floor.

Sir, who was NWC's second-leading scorer off the bench last season, led all players with 23 points, going four of seven from behind the three-point arc in addition to a perfect 9-9 at the free throw line.  Fife added 12 points on 4-5 shooting in 21 minutes, while Kristin Sczublewski (Pierz, Minn./Pierz) (Pierz, Minn./Pierz) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Brown and Jordan Sammons each scored 18 points to lead Hamline.

After starting the season 0-1, Northwestern will begin its home schedule this Friday and Saturday with its annual tip-off tournament, which will feature the Eagles, North Central University, the Milwaukee School of Mines and Buena Vista University.  NWC will square off against the Rams from North Central at 6 p.m. on Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday's 5 p.m. championship game.