ST. PAUL, MN - The Bay College Norse Women's Basketball Team (11-6) lost a defensive struggle to the University of St Catherine's (MN) by a final score of 51-46.

The game saw both teams go on long scoring droughts before the Wildcats had the final push to earn the victory.

The first quarter was rough for the Norse as they scored just three points and trailed, 14-3, after the first eight minutes. But the Bay defense turned the tables in the second period with a tenacious full-court press, and the Norse outscored the Wildcats, 15-2, to take an 18-16 lead at halftime.

Trisha McGuire (FR, Gwinn, MI) scored nine of her team's 15 points during that quarter.

Bay started the third quarter strong, as well, when Marissa Ackerman's (SO, Munising, MI) three-pointer gave Bay its biggest lead of the game at 23-16.

But St. Kate's responded with a 12-0 run of their own to take a 28-23 lead, as Maddy Foster (FR, Hermantown, MN) nailed a triple and Sophie Willems added a basket in the paint.

JuliAnn Wickman (SO, Felch, MI) brought the Norse to within 28-26 with a basket to end the third quarter, then she scored again early in the fourth quarter to give Bay a 30-28 lead.

That would be the last time the Norse would have the lead as the Wildcats went on another run, this time 13-4 over a four-minute stretch, with Brooke Torvik (JR, Rice, MN) knocking down a triple with 5:29 left to make it 41-34. The Norse press was unable to make up the difference over the final five minutes as the Wildcats twice beat the pressure with long baseball-style passes for baseline layups.

McGuire led the Norse with 17 points. Ackerman added nine points, making all four of her field goal attempts. Brooke Dalgord (SO, Garden, MI) added eight points, and Wickman had four points plus five rebounds. Kaitlyn Hardwick (SO, Gladstone, MI) had five points and led the team in rebounding with six.

Overall, St. Kate's outrebounded Bay, 25-20, The Norse committed 19 turnovers while St. Kate's had 20 turnovers. Madison Olsen (FR, St. Ignace, MI) led the Norse with three blocked shots, and Holly Wardynski (FR, Ontonagon, MI) had four steals on defense.

Bay College fell to 11-6 on the season. The team's scheduled game on Wednesday against St. Thomas University's JV team has been cancelled due to lack of players for St. Thomas.

Bay's next game is Saturday night on the road at Alpena Community College. Game time is 5:30 pm.

(Story courtesy of Jack Hall, RRN Sports)