APPLETON, Wis. — The Grinnell College women’s basketball team held off a stubborn Lawrence University squad on Saturday to post a 50-37 Midwest Conference victory at Alexander Gymnasium.
Sophia Gatton led three Grinnell players in double figures with 14 points. Kayla Morrissey added 13 points and Anne Boldt had 11 for the Pioneers (6-5, 3-3 MWC).
Liz Arco paced Lawrence (0-10, 0-5) with 11 points. She also added five rebounds, five blocks, four assists and four steals. Andrea Wilkinson pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for Lawrence to go along with eight points.
Grinnell scored the game’s first seven points and seemed to maintain that advantage throughout but had trouble putting away the Vikings.
Lawrence’s Olivia Hoesley hit a 3-pointer to trim Grinnell’s lead to 14-8 after the first quarter. The Vikings cut the lead to four twice early in the second quarter on baskets by Aubrey Scott and Arco, but Grinnell finally pushed the lead to 29-18 in the final minute of the period.
Grinnell started to pull away by scoring the first seven points of the third quarter, capped by Boldt’s 3-pointer, for a 36-20 lead. The Vikings responded as Wilkinson and Arco picked up two baskets apiece to cut the margin back to 39-28 late in the third.
The Pioneers finally sealed the win by scoring six consecutive points midway through the fourth quarter to grab a 47-30 lead. Lawrence didn’t get closer than 13 points the rest of the way.