SUPERIOR, Wis. – North Central slipped by the UW-Superior women's basketball team in a tight, defensive battle on Friday, earning a 47-44 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference victory at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.
 
The Yellowjackets jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the first seven minutes of play. A 3-pointer by freshman Allie Zimmer (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) punctuated the early spurt for UWS, before the Rams rallied to close the first quarter with a slim 16-15 lead. 
 
The defensive struggle continued into the second quarter with the teams combining for just 18 points in the period. Sophomore Paige Servais (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) hit a trey assisted by freshman Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) with 2:26 remaining before halftime to knot the game at 21-all. Sophomore Sam Parendo (Proctor, Minn./Proctor) followed with a free throw one minute later to give Superior the lead, and she added a 3-pointer with 23 seconds on the clock to ensure a UWS lead at the break.
 
Neither team held a lead larger than four points in the third quarter. Besonen, who led paced the Yellowjackets with 14 points on the night, hit a jumper on the first possession of the second half to push the lead to 27-24. Midway through the frame, though, Emily DiGiorgio converted a three-point play that gave the Rams a 29-27 advantage. Senior Brianna O'Donnell (Richfield, Minn./Richfield) responded with a layup at the 4:15 mark to tie it at 29-29. 
 
The lead changed hands three more times in the quarter, but Bethany Shield and Aubrey Robinson knocked down 3-pointers to give NCU a 38-34 edge into the final 10 minutes.
 
Besonen cut the lead to one with a triple 30 seconds into the fourth, and sophomore Lindrey Schendel (Firestone, Colo./Skyline) tied it again with a free throw, 38-38, with 7:55 to play. NCU was able to score the next four points and kept the lead the rest of the game, holding on for the win.
 
UWS, which dropped to 5-15 overall and 4-7 in the UMAC, held a 38-30 advantage in rebounding, including 13 from Mady Sanders (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial). 
 
 UWS outshot the Rams (19-3, 8-3 UMAC), 34 percent to 31.4 percent.
 
UWS host Northwestern Saturday at 3 p.m. Superior will honors its two seniors, Maddie Larson (Stanchfield, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) and O'Donnell.