The Lawrence University women’s basketball team split a pair of games in Texas over winter break. The Vikings led at the half, but lost to ninth-ranked Trinity 78-65, and the Vikings defeated Texas Lutheran 69-61.
The Vikings had a 34-32 lead over ninth ranked Trinity, but couldn’t hang on as Trinity went on a 17-0 run in the second half to take a 15-point lead and control the rest of the game. The Vikings were trying to get their second Top Ten upset of the season, having already upset UW-Stevens Point when they were ranked number four in the country this November.
Junior Claire Getzoff led the Vikings in the game against Trinity. She scored 26 points and was 6-10 from behind the three-point arc. Felicita Porrata added 16 for LU, and she was a perfect 8-8 from the free-throw stripe.
In the game against Texas Lutheran, the Vikings led the entire first half. It was tight however, and LU only took a two-point lead into the half, 24-22. Texas Lutheran fought back, and took their largest lead of the game, nine points with 13:33 remaining. However the Vikings fought back under the senior leadership of Porrata. The women took a nine-point deficit to a 13-point lead in just over 10 minutes, and LU won 69-61. Porrata finished with 21 for the game. She also had eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Three other Vikings were in double figures, Getzoff with 12, Carrie Van Groll with 11 and Kelly Mulcahy with 10.
Porrata and the rest of the Vikings are back in action restarting the MWC season this weekend at Beloit. The Vikings will have their conference home opener Tuesday night at home at 5:30 against St. Norbert. Porrata only needs 45 points to become the first Viking to have ever recorded over 1000 points and 500 rebounds in a career. Catch the St. Norbert game live on 91.1 WLFM.