EDITOR'S NOTE: There was an error in the statistical process where both the first and second quarter stats were attributed to the first quarter. We promise the second quarter score was not 0-0. This issue should be resolved Thursday and we will update the box score.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Women's Basketball team let a halftime lead slip away as it was outscored 29-20 in the second half of its first road test of the season at St. Olaf College, ultimately losing by a 59-55 score. The Eagles were able to hold the lead for much of the game despite shooting just 22.2% from three and 57.9% from the free-throw line, but the Oles held Northwestern to one field goal in the fourth quarter to steal the win and improve to 2-0 this season. UNW falls to 1-1 with the loss.
Northwestern, fresh off a season-opening win against Macalester, carried the momentum from Saturday's win into the beginning of Wednesday's game, as
Lydia Schmitter (Eagan, Minn./United Christian Academy) and
Carli Mattes (Lindstrom, Minn./Spectrum) combined to score the team's first 11 points, ultimately resulting in a 13-5 lead.
Joanna Talso (Ramsey, Minn./Elk River) and
Lauren Grimm (Mayer, Minn./Watertown-Mayer) joined the scoring, and an
Ava Gavi (Parker, Colo./Legend) three-pointer brought the lead back to eight with 1:40 to go in the opening quarter. A late three for St. Olaf made the score 20-15 after one.
A solo, 5-0 run for Schmitter gave the Eagles their first double-digit lead of the game, nearly two minutes into the second period, but a 7-0 run allowed St. Olaf to pull within three with 4:36 left before halftime. A Grimm triple on the ensuing possession gave UNW some more cushion, but the margin shrunk to two on multiple occasions in the final minutes of the half. A Talso layup and a Gavi free throw in the closing seconds gave Northwestern a 35-30 advantage heading into the break.
Schmitter continued her strong play as the third quarter began, making the Eagles' first two field goals. Grimm knocked down her second trey of the night to get the lead back to four, but the Oles were able to chip away at the lead to make the score 46-44 in favor of UNW, heading into the fourth.
The hosts took their first lead of the night on a three-pointer to open the final period, but Northwestern was able to snatch it back via a pair of Talso free throws. That 48-47 lead would be the final one the visitors would hold, as they only made one field goal in the fourth quarter--a Schmitter layup. They did make six free throws down the stretch, but only one of the four trips to the line resulted in both foul shots being made. It was the final one, from Mattes, which brought the Eagles within a possession at 57-55 with nine seconds left, but St. Olaf went 2-2 at the line in the final seconds to clinch the win.
Schmitter was outstanding once again, shooting an identical 7-12 from the field as Saturday, this time for 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists. Talso chipped in 13 points, six boards, three assists and three steals in just 19 minutes, while Mattes became UNW's third double-digit scorer this season with 11 points, adding a pair of steals. Grimm finished with eight points, and
Marin Blom (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) tallied five rebounds and four assists.
The Eagles will return home Saturday to take on Luther College to begin an Ericksen Center triple-header. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 PM.
