The Lawrence University Women’s Basketball’s season came to an end Friday night with a 68-50 loss to Grinnell College in the Midwest Conference Tournament Semifinals. Their spar at Weiske Gymnasium was hard-fought, pushing the Pioneers all the way to the fourth quarter with a marginal two-point deficit. Alas, a powerful display from Grinnell in the closing six minutes put the contest out of reach for Lawrence.
Despite the defeat, the Vikings had some stellar performances on the court. First-year Olivia Kesti put on an inspired display that showed experience well beyond her years, notching 12 points during the game. Junior Sophie Morey excelled again when her team needed her, posting a mirrored total of nine rebounds and nine points for Lawrence. It was an emotional sendoff for senior Mallory Meyer, who made a strong impact on the game with her four rebounds and six points: these points notably brought her career tally to an eye-catching 1,002 points. When interviewed post-match, she had this to say:
“It was a great atmosphere — we had a pretty big student section that came — so it was great to have their support there. After the game, the emotions were high. We really wanted to win and have a shot at the championship the next day. But now that things have settled, we’ve been able to reflect and appreciate the great season that we did have.
“It feels good to have reached 1,000 points. Reaching that milestone was really cool after a lot of work that I’ve put in. It’s been a great opportunity that I’ve had to play so many games for all these years, stay healthy and be able to help my team by scoring the way I have. It’s rewarding.”
Grinnell went into the second half leading by just a single point, their advantage cut down by a quality three-pointer from junior Josie Eager. A hectic final four minutes dominated by near misses, fouls and turnovers continued into the third quarter of the game with the substitutions of sophomore Kate Adams and senior Caroline Sharpe for Lawrence alongside Nikki Ware and Bailey Strovers for Grinnell. These four controlled the attacking proceedings from onwards, regularly peppering the rim with close shots until Sharpe netted a crucial three-pointer in the final three minutes of the third quarter to keep the score close at 38-36.
The final quarter saw Strovers and Ware for Grinnell combine in formidable fashion, their layups and a late succession of netted free throws extending the Pioneers’ lead to an uncatchable one. Adams responded very well, shooting five points of her own throughout the quarter, but the deficit was too large to equal as the game ended 68-50 with a loud ring of the buzzer. Ultimately, the Vikings bowed out with their heads held high in spite of the loss, knowing they left their all on the paint. Travelling back to Appleton, the Women’s Basketball team will know that they have closed the curtains on what has been a remarkable season, boasting a final record of 18-8 overall.