DULUTH, Minn. – Four UW-Superior women's basketball players scored in double figures as the Yellowjackets topped bridge rival St. Scolastica, 71-45, at Reif Gym on Wednesday.
 
UWS broke open a five-point game through the first quarter with a 23-point outburst in the second to take control. The win is the 18th consecutive over the Saints with Superior improving to 36-23 against CSS in varsity competition since the start of the series in the 1978-79 season.
 
UWS shot 10-for-20 in the second stanza to lead 36-20 at the break. Freshman Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) led the way with seven of her 11 points in the period, sparking the run to the 'Jackets first win of the season. 
 
Sophomore Sam Parendo (Proctor, Minn./Proctor) added a game- and career-high 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, while junior Kaelyn Christian (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville Senior) chipped in with 12 points, six steals and four rebounds. Sophomore Paige Servais (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
 
UWS scored the first five points of the second quarter and extended the run to 11-4 as Mady Sanders (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) grabbed the rebound of a Bryton Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) miss and laid it in for a 24-12 advantage with six minutes left in the half. Parendo pushed the lead to 21 at 36-15 with a 3-pointer with 1:55 to play. She was 2-for-3 from distance for the game.
 
St. Scholastica (0-2) got to within 45-34 midway through the third quarter when Megan Hurley completed a three-point play, but UWS (1-3) scored the next seven points – punctuating the run with a second Parendo trey – to regain momentum at 52-34. The 'Jackets were not threatened the rest of the way.
 
Superior shot 43.1 percent from the floor (28-for-65) and outrebounded the Saints, 45-32, including a 14-6 margin on the offensive glass, leading to 20 second-chance points. Besonen ripped down a team-best seven boards.
 
UWS limited CSS to 30.4 percent shooting (14-of-46) and forced 22 turnovers, converting them into 17 points. Hurley paced the Saints with 13 points and collected eight rebounds.
 
The Yellowjackets return home to host Saint Benedict Tuesday. Tip time at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium is 7 p.m.