SUPERIOR, Wis. – Senior Ellie Leadstrom (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and sophomore Kaelyn Christian (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville Senior) scored 16 points apiece as the UW-Superior women's basketball team pulled away from Martin Luther in the second half for a 77-48 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference victory at Mertz Mortorelli Gym Saturday.
 
The Yellowjackets limited the visiting Knights to just three made field goals in the third quarter and were 8-for-15 from the floor in the stanza themselves to extend a 28-16 halftime lead to 49-25 after three.
 
Sophomore Kaija Davies (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) was the third UWS player in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in the win. Leadstrom added five rebounds. Three assists and three steals, while Christian had two boards, two assists and a steal. 
 
UWS never trailed in the game, but MLC (0-3, 0-1 UMAC) hung around in the opening 20 minutes. The Knights were down just 12-5 through the first quarter and outscored by only five in the second. UWS, though, held MLC scoreless for the first 3:11 of the second half, using a 9-0 run in that span to go up 37-16 with the help of six consecutive points from Leadstrom.
 
Lindrey Schendel (Firestone, Colo./Skyline) converted a layup midway through the period to give the 'Jackets a 41-18 edge before Jordyn Heckendorf gave MLC its first bucket on the half with 4:14 to play in the quarter.
 
UWS poured in 28 points in the fourth to close out the win. 
 
The 'Jackets held a 30-27 advantage in rebounding on the day and scored 22 points in the paint while forcing 23 Martin Luther turnovers. As a team, the Knights shot 28 percent from the field, making 13-of-47 attempts compared to 48 percent ( 29-for-40) for Superior.
 
Emily Witkowski and Heckendorf lead the way for MLC with 13 and 11 points, respectively.
 
UWS next is on the road for the first time this season, travelling to Northwestern Thursday at 7 p.m.