Fourth Quarter Does In Green Knights

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 11, 2020 | Women's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - St. Norbert College held a two-point lead after the third quarter but was outscored by 14 points in the final 10 minutes as the Green Knights fell 47-35 to Cornell College in a Midwest Conference game at Small Multi-Sport Center.

The Green Knights led the Rams 26-24 in a taut defensive battle after three quarters. Cornell would pull away by going 6-for-12 from the floor and 11-for-15 at the free-throw line in the final period.

Cornell would take a 14-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and would lead 16-8 after scoring on its first possession of the second quarter. The Green Knights would hold the Rams scoreless the rest of the period, going on an 11-0 run into halftime. Macie Zurfluh had a conventional three-point play, followed by a Kaycee Gierczak hoop. Zurfluh added another basket, and Hannah Gibbons put St. Norbert ahead 17-16 on a basket with 2:27 left in the quarter. Boerner and Gierczak each had a made free throw for a 19-16 halftime lead.

St. Norbert would eventually take a 26-19 lead on a Gierczak basket with 5:24 left in the third quarter. This time, the Green Knights would go scoreless the rest of the period as Cornell would get to within 26-24 after three periods.

The early stages of the fourth quarter went back and forth, with St. Norbert trailing 30-29 with 6:25 left after a Hannah Ciesielczyk basket. The Rams would then go on a 6-0 run to get some breathing room, and St. Norbert would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.

St. Norbert shot 29.6 percent (14-for-46) from the floor. Gierczak led the Green Knights with 13 points, while Zurfluh added 10 points.

Cornell shot 36.4 percent (16-for-44) from the floor. Anne Visser came off the bench to lead Cornell with 15 points.