St. Benedict 61, UW-Superior 58
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (November 21, 2017) – Superior faced MIAC school for the second time this season on Tuesday, unable to get the win on the road at St. Benedict's.
The first period was tight and contested for the Yellowjackets, Amelia Leger (Andover, Minn./Andover) was able to get one the board first, hitting open 2-point jumper. The second basket for Superior came almost four minutes later, as Justine Larson (Stanchfield, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) drained a 2-pointer, assisted by Leger. The teams traded buckets to a 12-9 buzzer, as St. Ben's hit a 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds to take the lead.
Superior would keep it within five points in the second quarter, but also got within one point on two occasions. Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) would get a layup to open the quarter to make it 12-11 Blazers, and then Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) would score on a Carpenter steal to get to 20-19. The 'Jackets were down 23-19 at halftime.
A four-point run opened the third quarter for the 'Jackets, Hailey Kontny (Superior, Wis./Superior) and Jade Tucker (White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake) found back-to-back layups to tie the game at 23. Tucker soon after got the lead by sinking two free throws, but the Blazers scored to take a one-point lead. Norlin fired back, getting the lead again, and Eva Reinertson hit a 3-pointer, assisted by Taylor Kane (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids), to get the 'Jacket lead to four points. The Blazers then scored quickly to regain a three-point lead at the end of the half.
St. Ben's found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, opening up the game to nine points. The Yellowjackets fought back, cutting the lead to three with 36 seconds remaining, and then to one on a Norlin layup with three seconds, but Blazer free throws would seal the game at 61-58.
Norlin had another double-double, leading the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Kontny scored 13 points in 26 minutes, while Larson scored nine and added seven boards and four assists to her line.
The Blazers' Nikki Fokken scored a game-high 18 points.
Superior will be off until Tuesday, Nov. 28, when they take on Hamline University in the Mertz at 7 p.m.
