UW-Superior 87, Martin Luther 39
SUPERIOR, Wis. (December 16, 2017) – The 'Jackets built a big halftime lead and rolled to their fourth straight UMAC win Saturday evening. The wealth was spread, as 15 Yellowjackets scored; Hailey Kontny (Superior, Wis./Superior) and Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) led with 10 each.
The 'Jackets led the entire game, getting out to a 13-1 lead in the first four minutes of play. Justine Larson (Stanchfield, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) scored the first basket on an offensive rebound from Norlin, followed by buckets from all four other starters, including a 3-pointer from Amelia Leger (Andover, Minn./Andover). Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) found a three of her own immediately coming off the bench at 3:07 remaining. The 'Jackets would continue to fire, holding a 24-11 lead at the first intermission.
The 'Jackets would suffocate the Knights on defense in the second quarter, allowing only three points, and forcing 11 turnovers. The 'Jackets kept piling it on in the quarter, ending it with a seemingly 4-point play from Morgan Nepstad (Hendrum, Minn./Park Christian), as she knocked down a free throw with three seconds remaining, stealing the ball, and hitting the 3-point bomb at the buzzer.
The starters would play the first five minutes of the third, followed by a line-change from Coach Zach Otto-Fisher, holding a 57-19 lead. Taylor Kane (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) found a layup at 3:39 on an assist from Brittany Laehn (Gilmanton, Wis./Gilmanton), and then Laehn hit a three, assisted by Nepstad with two minutes left. Eva Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Homeschooled) got on the board with a 2-point jumper assisted by Kane to end the third period of play, 68-23.
Kaly Kostrova (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) fired a three, assisted by Ellie Leadstrom (Superior, Wis./Superior), after a Morgan Anderson (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) steal to open the quarter. The 'Jacket lead would hit 50 points on an Anderson layup at 5:58, while Lindsey Jalivay (Eagan, Minn./Rosemount) knocked down one of her two 3-pointers of the quarter just a while later. Etta Sorenson (Clintonville, Wis./Clintonville) got on the board after a nifty move to the cup, laying it in with her right hand, and Kourtney Palmi (Duluth, Minn./South Ridge) knocked down two free throws to end the game with 'Jackets victory.
Norlin managed a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, in just 18 minutes. Superior was a force down low with 36 points in the paint, including 33 points off the 28 turnovers they forced; the team also hit 9-of-17 3-pointers.
The Yellowjackets will have a few weeks off before they travel to Wavery Iowa Dec. 29 and compete in the Wartburg Holiday Tournament.
