The women’s basketball team was looking for its second win against Knox last weekend, after beating them earlier in the season 81-77. The Vikes let the Prairie Fire pull ahead in the first half, and at halftime they were down 30-59.
At halftime, Lawrence decided something had to change. They went on a 22-7 run to start the second half. Sophomore Alex Deshler carried the team with another double-double. Deshler dropped 24 points and grabbed ten rebounds off of the glass. Junior Cathy Kaye also had a great game with 11 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Chioma Ejimkonye raked in 17 points for the Vikings. However, Lawrence was unable to keep up the pace and lost 98-80.
After their defeat to Knox, the Vikings traveled to Grinnell College where they tried to build off of their frustration from the night before to get a win. Sophomore Amber Lisowe had a team-high of 13 points. Deshler, Ejimkonye and Kaye all added ten points each in the game. Ejimkonye led the game in assists, feeding her teammates to the basket seven times. Deshler led the team in rebounds, grabbing seven off the boards.
Lawrence played without their leading rebounder, freshman Presley Neuman, and the Pioneers capitalized on this weakness. The Vikings were out-rebounded 49-36. Lawrence was unable to grab rebounds in the paint, and Grinnell made them pay. At halftime, the Vikings were down 33 to 18. In the second half, they got within 13 points multiple times, and at one time they were only down by 11. But when you cannot grab rebounds, Grinnell will take them from you and put them into the basket. Grinnell outscored the Vikings, 62-49.
Lawrence’s next home game is Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m.