Big Second Quarter Difference for St. Norbert

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 25, 2019 | Women's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GRINNELL, Iowa - St. Norbert College used a 10-point differential in the second quarter as the impetus to a 49-43 win over Grinnell College in a Midwest Conference game at Darby Gym.

The Green Knights trailed 13-7 after the first quarter before surging back with a 15-5 edge in the second period.

Sarah Ratajczyk scored all nine of St. Norbert's points during a 9-2 run to open the second quarter. Her conventional three-point play with 6:22 left in the period brought St. Norbert to within 13-10, while her two layups put the Green Knights ahead 14-13. Grinnell's Aidan Coalson scored to give the Pioneers a brief lead, but Ratajczyk put St. Norbert ahead with a basket at the 4:03 mark for a 16-15 edge. St. Norbert settled on a 22-18 halftime lead.

The Green Knights went on an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter, taking a 33-23 lead on Christine Olijnyk's layup with 4:32 left in the period. St. Norbert led 36-29 at the end of the third quarter.

Grinnell threw a major scare into the Green Knights to open the fourth quarter, going on an 8-0 run to take a 37-36 lead with 6:51 remaining. But the Green Knights came again with an 11-0 skein, capped off by a 3-pointer and basket by Mary Cravillion, the later for a 47-37 lead with 1:46 left.

St. Norbert shot 35.1 percent (20-for-57) from the floor. Ratajczyk led the Green Knights as the only scorer in double figures with 21 points and adding eight rebounds. Macie Zurfluh dished out 11 assists while also scoring six points and nabbing five steals.

Grinnell shot 33.3 percent (17-for-51) from the floor. Tyria Heath led the Pioneers with 18 points.