NEW ULM, Minn.: Saturday marked the final game before the break for the Yellowjacket women's basketball team. The Yellowjackets showed their minds weren't on break a few days early, playing a strong game and leading from start to finish in a 80-42 rout of Martin Luther in New Ulm, Minn.

The only time Saturday's game was tied was at the opening tip, as the Yellowjackets made the first basket of the game and never looked back in taking down the Knights.

Saturday the Yellowjacket starting five was once again their regular selves, but this time they only played about half the game. The bench provided a healthy contribution to the victory, led by Kaly Kostrova (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) and Marissa Ruiz (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) who dropped in 10 points apiece. Kostrova scored her points in only eight minutes of play, going 3-for-7 from the field and making all three of her shots from the free throw line.

Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) opened the scoring for the Yellowjackets, hitting a jumper less than a minute into the contest. Back-to-back threes from Eva Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Homeschooled) extended the lead, and by the end of the first quarter the Yellowjackets were up 20-8. Midway through the second quarter Ellie Leadstrom (Superior, Wis./Superior) made a layup to put the Yellowjackets ahead by 20. With the starters back on the court late in the half, Taylor Kane (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) scored to give the Yellowjackets a 39-17 lead as the teams went to the break.

It was more of the same to start the second half. The Yellowjackets and Knights both made shots, but the Yellowjackets were finding it hard to miss. Ruiz pulled down a defensive rebound at one end, then made the layup at the other end to end the third quarter and in the process push the Yellowjacket lead to 31 points. The Yellowjackets outscored Martin Luther by a 2-to-1 margin in the final quarter to make the final score 80-42.

Reinertsen led the way for the Yellowjackets with 15 points and also had seven rebounds. Norlin had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in only 20 minutes of play.

For the game the Yellowjackets shot 42.6 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets (9-1, 4-0 U.M.A.C.) return from the break to host the first-ever Superior Shootout Classic. Saturday, December 29 St. Scholastica and UW-Stout play at 1:00 p.m., followed by the Yellowjackets against Concordia College at 3:00 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.