ESCANABA, MI – The Bay College Women's Basketball team (3-3) would use a big second half to stretch their lead and hand the Western Tech Cavaliers (2-1) their first loss of the season.  The Norse would win by a final score of 78-62.

In a physical matchup, the two teams would slug it out early.  In the first half alone the two teams would see three tied scores and six lead changes.  The Norse would lead by just two at the end of the first quarter, and withstand a Cavalier run in the second quarter.  Western Tech would use a 9-0 run to build their biggest lead of the game.  With five minutes remaining in the first half the Cavaliers would hold a 26-19 lead.  The Norse would respond with a 10-2 run to end the first half, and take a one-point lead into the locker room at the half.

The two teams would go different directions after the half.  The Cavaliers would see a drop off in shooting percentage as they would hit on just nine of 33 shots in the second half.  Meanwhile, the Norse would get hot, connecting on 50% of their shots from the floor.  Bay College would use a 14-3 stretch to finally open up a lead late in the third quarter.  Leading by 12 after the third quarter, the Norse would gradually build their lead and take full control of the matchup in the fourth.  Bay College would a 21-point lead, their biggest of the game, with just over a minute left to play.  They would wind up winning by 16, to improve to a .500 record.

The Norse would outrebound the Cavaliers 46-37 and get a big advantage inside, scoring 46 points in the paint.  Though both teams would turn the ball over 20+ times, Bay would take advantage of the Western Tech miscues, scoring 29 points off of 29 Cavalier turnovers.  Meanwhile Western Tech would end up with just 13 points as a result of 22 Norse turnovers. 

"We had a great team effort," said Head Coach Rob Robinson.  "I thought it was the most our team hustled all year.  Our press really wore them down and it was fun to watch our players rally around it."

Bay's Jordan Kraemer (SO, Norway, MI) would lead all scorers with 23 points while grabbing 11 rebounds.  Marissa Ackerman (FR, Munising, MI) added ten points and five rebounds off the bench, while Kelsea Ackerman (FR, Munising, MI) would contribute nine points and three steals.

Western Tech's Lindsey Murphy would score 13 points and collect seven steals off the bench.  Lexy Schroeder would also end the matchup with 13 points.

The Norse will be on the road next weekend as they participate in the Lindquist Classic hosted by Gogebic Community College.  On Saturday they will square off with Hibbing Community College at 2 PM.  Sunday they will face Vermillion Community College at 11 AM.