Monmouth College used a run that extended from the end of the first half into the second to post an 85-62 victory over Grinnell College in women's basketball action Saturday, Feb. 21, in Monmouth, Ill.

The Pioneers featured a balanced scoring attack, with Jessica Shotts '10 tallying 11 points and Jessica Vaverka '11 scoring 10. Megan Huey '12 grabbed six rebounds and Kate Norton '11 dished out five assists. Tanesha Hughes posted a double-double for the winners with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Melissa Gorski also had 24 points.

Grinnell finished its 2008-09 campaign at 3-13 in the Midwest Conference and 4-19 overall, while Monmouth improved to 9-7 in league play and 14-9 in all contests.

Although Grinnell never led, the Pioneers were still within a point at 12-11 on Ashley Jeannin's 3-pointer with 13:15 to go in the first half. Monmouth gradually stretched its lead, but the Pioneers made it an eight-point game late in the half when Sara Hoffman's '12 jumper made it 35-27 with 2:02 to go. But Monmouth finished off the half with four straight points for a 39-27 lead at intermission.

That four-point burst was the start of an 11-point run by the hosts that put them ahead 46-27 early in the second half. Grinnell never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.
Box Score

Jodi Watkins '09 celebrated Senior Day in a big way on Saturday, Feb. 14, and helped the Grinnell College women's basketball snap a lengthy drought in the process.

Watkins (pictured), the lone senior on the Pioneers' roster, recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds as Grinnell came away with a 59-54 Midwest Conference win over Illinois College at Darby Gymnasium. The victory, which broke a six-game losing streak, moved Grinnell to 3-12 in the MWC and 4-18 overall. Illinois College, which got 22 points from Candy Norville, dipped to 7-7 in league play and 12-9 overall.

Grinnell also got double-digit scoring from Jessica Shotts '10 and Mallory Scharf '11, who had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Jessica Vaverka '11 added three steals and Brianna Gallo '11 had three assists.

The Pioneers led by as many as eight points in the first half when a jumper by Shotts made it 27-19, but the Lady Blues raced back to cut the gap to 27-25 by halftime. The second half remained tight the entire way, as neither team ever led by more than the final five-point margin of Grinnell's. There were six ties in the final 20 minutes.

But it was a surge at the end that proved to be the difference, as the Pioneers scored the last six points of the game. Trailing by one, Shotts hit two free throws with 1:55 left to put Grinnell ahead to stay at 55-54. After four misses by Illinois College, Gallo was fouled with :48 left and made both free throws for a 57-54 lead.

After another Lady Blue miss, Gallo was again fouled and made a free throw for a 58-54 lead with :21 left. The Pioneers forced another Lady Blue missed shot and Scharf was fouled with :03 left. She made one free throw to account for the final score. In all, Illinois College missed its final eight shots and was limited to 29.2 percent shooting from the field for the game.

Grinnell will close out its campaign on Saturday, Feb. 21, with a game at Monmouth College. Game time is 1 p.m.
Box Score

Knox College eked out a 71-69 women's basketball victory over Grinnell College on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Galesburg, Ill.

Jessica Shotts '10 (pictured0 had a huge game for Grinnell, 2-12 in the Midwest Conference and 3-18 overall, with 27 points on the aid of five 3-pointers. Megan Huey '12 added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Shotts also had eight rebounds, while Brianna Gallo '11 dished out five assists. Erin Navolio had 17 points to pace the hosts, who are 3-11 in the MWC and 6-15 overall.

Grinnell trailed by as many as eight early and was still down by seven with 8:05 to go in the first half before rallying. Shotts hit a 3-pointer and free throw, Kate Norton '11 sank a jumper and Huey added a traditional three-point play to put Grinnell ahead 23-21. The Pioneers built their lead as big as eight before settling for a 38-34 halftime lead.

The second half was close the entire way before it appeared Grinnell may pull away, as consecutive free throws by Huey made it a 67-62 lead in favor of the visitors with 3:20 to go. But Knox answered with a 7-0 run for a 69-67 edge before Jessica Vaverka '11 made a shot with :25 left to tie things. But Navolio was fouled with :05 left and hit both free throws to help Knox pull out the win.

Grinnell plays its final home game of the season this Saturday when Illinois College visits for a 1 p.m. test.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's basketball team took off with a flurry against Beloit College, but then the visitors gradually chipped away and eventually took command en route to a 74-58 victory Saturday, Feb. 7, at Darby Gymnasium.

The teams went back and forth in the early going, and Grinnell led by three before a 3-pointer by Mallory Scharf '11 and traditional three-point play by Brianna Gallo '11 made it 16-7 in favor of the hosts with 13:44 left in the first half. But Beloit came back and eventually grabbed a 23-22 lead with 6:43 to go in the half. The Buccaneers kept it up from there and took a 44-28 lead into intermission.

Beloit went ahead by as many as 31 points in the second half before a late rally by the Pioneers brought them within 16 by the end of the game.

Grinnell, 2-11 in the Midwest Conference and 3-17 overall, got a team-high 14 points from Jodi Watkins '09 (pictured), who connected on 4-of-9 treys. She also had four assists. Scharf added 12 points and five rebounds, while Brianna Gallo '11 came up with five steals.

Amanda Moore scored 21 points to lead Beloit, which improved to 10-3 in the league and 13-7 in all games.

Grinnell takes to the road on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to meet Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. Grinnell beat the Prairie Fire 74-70 on Dec. 10. After that, Grinnell finishes out the 2008-09 season with a home game against Illinois College on Feb. 14 and a contest at Monmouth College a week later.
Box Score

Grinnell College dug itself into a 44-22 hole at halftime as Ripon College went on to record a 75-40 women's basketball victory Friday, Feb. 6, at Darby Gymnasium.

Jessica Shotts '10 had 11 points for Grinnell, which fell to 2-10 in the Midwest Conference and 3-16 overall. Kate Norton '11 grabbed eight rebounds, Ashley Jeannin '12 dished out five assists and Jodi Watkins '09, Megan Huey '12, Jeannin and Sara Hoffman '12 had two steals each. Emily Meyer scored 21 points for Ripon, which is now 8-3 in the league and 11-7 overall.

The Red Hawks broke out to a 9-0 lead before Grinnell got on the board with a basket by Huey. That was the start of a 13-6 run by the hosts that brought them within 15-13. Shotts had a trio of 3-pointers during that span, while Vaverka also scored a basket. But the visitors responded with eight straight points and continued to pull away for a 22-point halftime lead.

Turnovers plagued the Pioneers in the first half, as they gave the ball away 16 times in the opening 20 minutes. Grinnell also shot just 32.1 percent from the field in the game.

Grinnell will attempt to return to the win column when it hosts Beloit in a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Darby Gymnasium.
Box Score

After leading for a portion of the first half, the Grinnell College women's basketball team fell victim to a 25-6 Lake Forest College run as the visitors went on to post a 78-68 Midwest Conference victory on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Darby Gymnasium.

Lake Forest turned a 32-28 first-half deficit into a 53-38 second-half lead and continued to cruise from there to improve to 6-4 in the MWC and 9-8 overall. The Pioneers, who lost to Lake Forest by 29 points earlier in the month, fell to 2-9 in the league and 3-15 in all games.

Mallory Scharf '11 (pictured) led Grinnell with a team-high 15 points, while Jodi Watkins '09 poured in 12 and Ashley Jeannin '12 tallied 10. Jeannin also had six assists, Brianna Gallo'11 came up with four steals and Megan Huey '12 and Kate Norton '11 had six boards apiece. Tracey Rainey and Lisa Nassin had 17 points each for Lake Forest.

Grinnell dug itself into a 10-point hole in the early going, but stormed back with a 17-6 run for a 21-20 lead at the 8:09 mark. Scharf had five of those points for Grinnell, including a 3-pointer, while Vaverka had four points and Watkins and Jeannin one trey each. After that the Pioneers twice went up by four, the first time at 24-20 on a 3-pointer by Jeannin and again at 32-28 on a trey by Watkins. But that's when Lake Forest rallied for a 35-32 halftime lead.

From there the Foresters continued to roll and led by double digits most of the second half, with the closest Grinnell coming being eight points when Norton's jumper with 1:30 left made it 73-65. But the Foresters answered with four straight points to put the game away.

Grinnell has nearly a week off before playing two more home contests, as Ripon College visits on Friday, Feb. 6, and Beloit College on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Box Score

A quick start by Monmouth College sent the Fighting Scots to an 18-point halftime lead as they went on to post a 91-62 women's basketball victory over Grinnell College on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Darby Gymnasium.

Grinnell, which had a balanced scoring attack, was paced by Jessica Vaverka's '11(pictured) team-highs of 11 points and five rebounds. Mallory Scharf '10 was also in double digits with 10 points, Ashley Jeannin '12 contributed four assists and three steals and Jodi Watkins '09 and Kate Norton '11 had five rebounds apiece.

The Pioneers are now 2-8 in the Midwest Conference and 3-14 overall, while Monmouth improved to 5-4 in the league and 10-6 in all games. Monmouth, which shot 57.1 percent from the field compared to 32.3 percent by the Pioneers, was paced by Tanesha Hughes' 21-point output.

Four straight buckets by Hughes helped Monmouth get out to an 8-0 lead, which the visitors eventually stretched to 12-0. Vaverka got Grinnell on the board with a basket at the 15:23 mark, but Monmouth began pulling away and went up by 21 at 26-5. Grinnell answered with a run of its own as Watkins hit consecutive 3-pointers, Vaverka made a basket and Sara Hoffman '12 hit a trey to make it a 10-point game at 26-16 with 8:22 left in the half.

But that's as close as Grinnell would get as Monmouth worked its way to a 50-32 halftime lead and outscored the hosts 41-30 in the second half.

Grinnell returns to the home court again Saturday when Lake Forest College visits Darby Gymnasium. Game time is at 1 p.m.
Box Score

After Grinnell College broke out to an early lead, Carroll University rallied to lead 49-37 at halftime on its way to a 90-74 Midwest Conference victory on Saturday, Jan. 24, in Waukesha, Wis.

Grinnell, which lost to Carroll by nearly 30 points just a week ago, is now 2-7 in the MWC and 3-13 overall. Carroll improved to 7-2 in the MWC and 12-4 overall.

Jessica Shotts '10 poured in 19 points for Grinnell, including a 5-of-9 performance from 3-point land. Mallory Scharf '11 added 13 points, while Megan Huey '12 and Jessica Vaverka '11 had 10 each. Kate Norton '11 grabbed three rebounds and Jodi Watkins '12 added four assists and three steals. Karen Hoewisch scored 22 points to lead Carroll.

Grinnell shot out to a 21-9 lead in the game's first 6 ½ minutes. Leading 12-9, Scharf began a run with a layup and Vaverka followed with another. Another layup by Vaverka and trey by Shotts put the Pioneers ahead by 12. But Carroll gradually rallied and went ahead to stay on Hoewisch's layup with 9:18 to go in the half, making it 26-25 in favor of the hosts.

With Carroll leading by 12 at halftime, Grinnell made a surge in the second half. Shotts began things with a 3-pointer and Scharf hit a layup to bring Grinnell within 49-42. A basket by Carroll was followed by a 3-pointer from Scharf to make it a six-point game at 51-45 with 18:12 to go. But the hosts followed by scoring the game's next eight points to pull away. Their lead was never smaller than 13 the rest of the way.

Grinnell now plays four home games in a row, beginning with a contest against Monmouth College at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, in Darby Gymnasium. Following that, Grinnell will entertain Lake Forest College on Jan. 31, Ripon College on Feb. 6 and Beloit College on Feb. 7.
Box Score

Jodi Watkins '09 (pictured) drained a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining to lift the Grinnell College women's basketball team to an exciting 59-57 come-from-behind victory at Lawrence University on Friday, Jan. 23.

With the win, Grinnell snapped a four-game losing streak while improving to 2-6 in the Midwest Conference and 3-12 overall. Lawrence fell to 0-7 in the MWC and 0-14 in all games.

Watkins and Jessica Shotts '10 both scored 14 points to lead the winners, with Watkins hitting 4-of-9 shots from beyond the arc and Shotts 3-of-8. Jessica Vaverka '11 added 12 rebounds, Megan Huey '12 had eight and Watkins seven while Brianna Gallo '11 had four steals. Erin Henzi had 20 points to lead Lawrence.

Lawrence shot out to a 17-3 lead before Grinnell went on a furious rally and eventually tied the game at 19-all with 3:50 to go in the first half. Watkins had a pair of 3-pointers during the run, while Vaverka scored four points.

Lawrence led 26-25 at halftime and went ahead by as many as 11 in the second half before another Pioneer rally. With the hosts up 49-39 with 6:26 left, Grinnell gradually made a run and eventually tied the game at 56-all on two free throws by Shotts with :33 left.

Henzi made a free throw with :16 left to put the hosts up by one before Watkins sank the eventual game-winner. Lawrence tried a last-second 3-pointer that was off the mark to preserve Grinnell's win.

The Pioneers will play Carroll University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, in Waukesha, Wis.
Box Score

St. Norbert College broke out to a 20-point halftime lead on its way to topping the Grinnell College women's basketball team 72-51 on Saturday, Jan. 17, in Darby Gymnasium.

Grinnell dipped to 1-6 in the Midwest Conference and is 2-12 overall, while the Green Knights moved to 5-1 in league play and 9-4 in all games. The hosts rode a balanced scoring attack, as Mallory Scharf '11 (pictured) led the way with nine points. Megan Huey '12 added eight points and a game-high nine rebounds, while Brianna Gallo '11 scored seven points. Ashley Jeannin '12 contributed four assists for the Pioneers, who hit just 28 percent from the field in the first half and 34 percent for the game.

The contest was close for the first part of the opening stanza, with Grinnell taking a 12-11 lead on a 3-pointer by Jodi Watkins '09 with 13:03 left. But St. Norbert broke things open with a 12-point run for a 23-12 edge at the 9:05 mark. The Pioneers got as close as eight a bit later when a basket by Sara Hoffman '12 and free throw by Kate Norton '11 made it 23-15, but a six-point surge put the Green Knights ahead by 14 and they built the margin to 20 by halftime.

St. Norbert, which was led by Denise Heuser's 15-point output, never saw its lead get below 17 the rest of the way.

Following the weekend, Grinnell heads out for a pair of road games against Lawrence on Jan. 23 and Carroll on Jan. 24.
Box Score

Carroll University shot out to a 49-28 halftime lead on its way to an 86-57 Midwest Conference women's basketball victory over Grinnell College on Friday, Jan. 16, in Darby Gymnasium.

Jodi Watkins '09 (pictured) led Grinnell with a team-high 14 points, which included a 3-of-5 performance from 3-point land, and grabbed five rebounds. Jessica Vaverka '11 added 11 points and Jessica Shotts '10 scored 10. Ashley Jeannin '12 also came up big with seven steals and five assists. Karen Hoewisch of Carroll led all scorers with 18 points.

Grinnell is now 1-5 in the Midwest Conference and 2-11 in all games, while Carroll moved to 5-1 in league play and 9-3 overall.

The hosts scored the game's first five points, as Shotts made a basket and 3-pointer, before Carroll tallied nine straight points. Grinnell was still in contention midway through the half as a layup by Kate Norton '11 made it a seven-point game at 23-16. But Carroll answered with an eight-point run for a 15-point lead and pushed the margin to as many as 24 before settling for a 21-point halftime lead. Carroll picked up where it left off in the second half, scoring the first 12 points of the stanza to pull away for the victory.

The Pioneers return to the home court on Saturday, Jan. 17, with a home contest against St. Norbert College. Game time is 3 p.m.
Box Score

Lake Forest College broke out to a 45-24 halftime lead on its way to an 83-54 home women's basketball win over Grinnell College on Jan 13.

Grinnell, 1-4 in the Midwest Conference and 2-10 overall, got 14 points from Mallory Scharf '11 (pictured) and 12 from Jessica Shotts '10. Jodi Watkins '09 added nine rebounds and Megan Huey '12 had eight. Huey also had three assists and Kate Norton '11 a pair of steals. Lake Forest, 2-2 in the MWC and 5-6 overall, was paced by Susan Hedrick's 18-point output.

Watkins hit a 3-pointer to put Grinnell on top at the start of the game, but the hosts countered with a nine point run for a 9-3 lead. A trey by Scharf brought the Pioneers within 9-6, and Grinnell was still within five later as a 3-pointer by Shotts made it a 21-16 game with 7:31 to go in the first half. But Lake Forest came back with a 22-5 run for a 22-point edge before settling for a 21-point halftime lead.

Grinnell never got closer than 18 in the second half as the hosts went on to earn the victory. The Pioneers return to the friendly confines of Darby Gymnasium this weekend for a pair of contests. Grinnell hosts Carroll University at 5 p.m. Friday and faces St. Norbert College at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Box Score

Illinois College shot out to a 39-27 halftime lead on its way to an 83-67 home women's basketball victory over Grinnell College on Jan. 10.

Megan Huey '12 (pictured) had a huge game for Grinnell, tallying 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Jodi Watkins '09 added 13 points and eight boards, while Jessica Shotts '10 scored 12 points while coming up with two steals. Candy Norville had 20 points for Illinois College.

The Lady Blues scored the game's first nine points before Grinnell got into the flow, cutting the margin to 14-9 on Huey's jumper with 14:35 to go in the first half. But Illinois College bounced back and went up by 12 by intermission. The Lady Blues went up by as many as 16 early in the second half before the Pioneers made a slight rally, making it a nine-point game at 48-39 on a jumper by Sara Hoffman '12 with 12:40 left.

Grinnell got as close as eight a minute later on a 3-pointer by Watkins, and Huey's jumper with 5:59 left brought Grinnell as close as six, but consecutive 3-pointers by the hosts gave them a double-digit lead they would never relinquish.

Grinnell, 1-3 in the Midwest Conference and 2-9 overall, plays at Lake Forest College Tuesday. Game time is 5 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's basketball team started off the new year in impressive fashion on Jan. 3, as the Pioneers scored the game's final 12 points to secure a 57-52 non-conference victory over Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

Jessica Shotts '10 (left), who tied a school 3-point shooting record in the team's previous game, again led the Pioneers with a game-high 18 points to go along with five rebounds and three steals. She had two key 3-pointers down the stretch to spark the rally. Mallory Scharf '11 (right) added 13 points and five rebounds, while Ashley Jeannin '12 dished out three assists and Jessica Vaverka '11 came up with three steals. Kristen Fox led Augustana with 14 points.

The Pioneers, who improved to 2-8, trailed 9-4 early on before going on an 11-point run for a 15-9 edge. Jodi Watkins '09 started things with a pair of 3-pointers for a one-point lead. Megan Huey '12 followed with a basket and Shotts a traditional three-point play to complete the run. Augustana rallied for a 16-15 lead before the Pioneers again came back, going up by six late in the half on two free throws by Scharf before settling for a 28-24 halftime lead.

The hosts, who are 2-9, chipped away at the lead in the second half and seemed to be in control when they led by seven twice late in the contest, including 52-45 with 2:57 to go. But the Pioneers refused to give in, as Vaverka hit two free throws and Shotts two 3-pointers to put Grinnell ahead 53-52 with :45 left. Watkins and Brianna Gallo '11 secured the win with a pair of free throws each to account for the final margin.

Grinnell now has a week off before playing at Illinois College on Jan. 10. Game time is 1 p.m. in Jacksonville, Ill.
Box Score

Grinnell College's Jessica Shotts '10 (pictured) and David Arseneault '09 have swept the Midwest Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Performer of the Week honors.

Shotts, a 5-10 forward from Thornton, Colo. (Horizon HS), tied a Grinnell College record for 3-point baskets in a game during a 68-64 non-conference loss to Cornell College. Shotts connected on nine treys, tying the Pioneer mark established by Anna Veit in 2003. Shotts, who had seven 3-pointers in the first half alone, shot an amazing 60 percent from beyond the arc (9 of 15) while scoring a career-high 34 points. She also had a team-high six rebounds. She also had nine points in a victory over Knox College earlier in the week.

Arseneault, a 6-2 guard from Grinnell, Iowa (Grinnell HS), recorded two double-doubles over the last week, giving him seven in as many outings this season. He had 13 points and 10 assists in a 133-80 victory over Knox College that moved the Pioneers' Midwest Conference record to 3-0. He followed that up with a 13-point, 13-assist performance against Waldorf College. For the season, he's averaging 15.9 points and 13.6 assists per game.

Despite a school-record performance by Jessica Shotts '10 (pictured), the Grinnell College women's basketball team fell by a 68-64 score to Cornell College in a non-conference contest Saturday afternoon at Darby Gymnasium.

Shotts connected on nine 3-pointers, tying the Pioneer mark established by Anna Veit in a 2003 game against Carroll College. Shotts, who had seven treys in the first half alone, was an amazing 60 percent from beyond the arc (9-of-15). She finished with 34 points, well ahead of her previous career-high of 18.

Shotts also had a team-high six rebounds and two steals. Jodi Watkins '09 and Mallory Scharf '11 added nine and eight points, respectively, while Brianna Gallo '11 dished out nine assists and had two steals. Teresa Cecchetti paced Cornell with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Grinnell connected on six of its first seven field goal tries, all 3-pointers, while breaking out to a 21-7 lead just five minutes into the contest. Watkins and Shotts both had a trio of treys during that span, while Megan Huey '12 added two free throws and Scharf one. The Pioneers built their lead as big as 16 points when a 3-pointer by Shotts made it 40-24, but Cornell scored the next six points to make it 40-30 at halftime.

Grinnell built its lead to 12 early in the second half before the visitors slowly chipped away and took their first lead of 53-52 with 5:23 left. The Pioneers grabbed their final lead when a layup by Shotts made it 55-53 with 4:58 to go, but two free throws by Kristin Paczosa forced a tie and a layup by Cechetti gave Cornell the lead for good with 3:37 left. The Pioneers sliced the gap to two three times after that, the last at 66-64 on a 3-pointer by Scharf. But Cechetti sealed the win with two free throws in the waning seconds.

With the win, Cornell improved to 5-3 while Grinnell dipped to 1-8. Grinnell is off through the holidays before picking things up again with a Jan. 3 meeting at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. Game time is 2 p.m.
Box Score

Getting big contributions from several players, the Grinnell College women's basketball team won its first game of the 2008-09 campaign while also providing coach Kate Gluckman the first victory of her career.

Four Pioneers scored in double figures as Grinnell posted a 74-70 Midwest Conference victory over Knox College Wednesday night at Darby Gymnasium. Grinnell is now 1-2 in the league and 1-7 overall, while the Prairie Fire dipped to 1-2 in the MWC and 1-4 in all games.

Jodi Watkins '09 (left) led Grinnell with 13 points, while Mallory Scharf '11 (right) added 12. Brianna Gallo '11 added a strong all-around game with 11 points, four steals and four assists and Ashley Jeannin '12 scored 10 points. Jessica Vaverka '11 and Kate Norton '11 had eight and six rebounds, respectively.

Knox led by as many as seven in the early going, but Grinnell came back to close within 32-31 by halftime. Jessica Shotts '10 opened the second half with a jumper to put the Pioneers ahead by a point. Knox forced two ties after that before the Pioneers opened it up with a 12-4 run for a 49-41 lead. Shotts had a 3-pointer to start the run, while Scharf had a pair of free throws, Jeannin added two more free throws and a 3-pointer and Norton scored a basket.

Grinnell never let Knox closer than five points the rest of the way except for a last-second 3-pointer by Erin Navolio to account for the final score. Navolio had a double-double on the night with 29 points and 10 rebounds.

Grinnell closes out its pre-holiday slate with a non-conference home game Saturday when Cornell College of Mount Vernon visits Darby Gymnasium. Game time is 2 p.m.
Box Score

Grinnell College fell behind 45-25 at halftime as host Ripon College posted an 85-52 Midwest Conference women's basketball victory Saturday afternoon.

Ripon is now 3-4 overall and 2-0 in the league, while Grinnell fell to 0-7 overall and 0-2 in the MWC.

Grinnell rode a balanced scoring attack that was led by a 14-point output by Ashley Jeannin '12, who hit 3-of-4 treys. Megan Huey '12 and Mallory Scharf '11 added 10 points apiece. Huey also had seven rebounds and two steals, while Brianna Gallo '11 contributed two steals. Ripon got a game-high 19 points from Erin Lind.

Ripon led from the start, as Lind's 3-pointer in the first 30 seconds made it 3-0. Huey countered with a jumper to bring Grinnell within 3-2, but Ripon scored the next 15 points of the game to build an 18-2 lead with 13:20 left in the first half. The closest Grinnell got after that was 14 points when two free throws by Kate Norton '11 made it 20-6, but after that Ripon took off for a 20-point halftime lead.

The Pioneers will look to jump into the win column Wednesday when they entertain MWC foe Knox College. Game time at Darby Gymnasium is 5 p.m.
Box Score

After shooting out to a 21-13 lead, the Grinnell College women’s basketball team saw host Beloit College counter with a 22-4 run to close out the first half as the hosts posted a 59-41 victory Friday night in Beloit, Wis.

With the win, Beloit improved to 1-0 in the Midwest Conference and 3-2 overall while the Pioneers dipped to 0-1 in the league and 0-6 in all games. Kristin Acosta led Beloit’s balanced scoring attack with 12 points, while Sarah Stariha had 10. Jodi Watkins ‘09 had nine points on a trio of 3-pointers for the Pioneers. Jessica Vaverka ‘11 added eight points and three steals, while Megan Huey ‘12 came up with eight rebounds.

Beloit looked like it would run away with the game initially, breaking out to a 9-3 lead before Grinnell came back with an 18-4 run for a 21-13 edge. Brianna Gallo ‘11 began the spurt with a free throw before Watkins hit a 3-pointer to make it 9-7. Vaverka added two charity shots and a 3-pointer to put Grinnell ahead 12-9. Sara Hoffman ‘12 had a 3-pointer later in the spurt, Vaverka made a 3-pointer, Kate Norton ‘11 sank two free throws and Hoffman recorded a trey for an eight-point edge with 8:19 to go in the half.

But Beloit came back with a fury to make it a 10-point lead at halftime. Grinnell got as close as five points in the second half when a layup by Mallory Scharf ‘11 made it 37-32. But the hosts scored the next 11 points and never looked back from there on their way to the win.

Grinnell stays on the road this weekend with a 1 p.m. game Saturday at Ripon College.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's basketball team will travel to Wisconsin this weekend to open its Midwest Conference slate of games. The Pioneers play at Beloit College at 5 p.m. Friday and at Ripon at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Pioneers are 0-5 on the season and coming off a 97-37 loss to Wisconsin- River Falls. Guard Brianna Gallo l'11 leads the team in scoring averaging 10.7 points per game. Jessica Shotts '10 and Jessica Vaverka '11 lead the team in rebounding at 7.0 and 6.8 rebounds per game, respectively.

Beloit will enter Friday's game with a 2-2 record and are coming off an 88-45 win over Mt. Mary College. Christine Brown leads the team in scoring and rebounds, averaging 16.7 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. Saturday's opponent, Ripon College, currently holds a 1-3 record and will be playing its third game in four days entering Saturday's matchup.

The Pioneers' next outing after the weekend will be a home test against Knox College next Wednesday. Game time at Darby Gymnasium is 5 p.m.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls shot out to a 56-13 halftime lead on its way to a 97-37 victory over Grinnell College Saturday.

Grinnell got nine points from Mallory Scharf '11 and seven from Brianna Gallo '11. Sara Hoffman '12 added eight rebounds, while Jodi Watkins '09, Jessica Shotts '10 and Jessica Vaverka '11 had five boards each. Megan Huey '12 and Hoffman had two steals apiece.

Tiffany Gregorich had 24 points to lead UW-River Falls, which improved to 4-1. Grinnell fell to 0-5 and will open Midwest Conference play this coming Friday at Beloit College.
Box Score

Jodi Watkins '09 (pictured) earned all-tournament team honors for the Grinnell College women's basketball during the weekend's Pfund Classic hosted by Wheaton College.

Watkins had 16 points and eight rebounds in the Pioneers' 68-55 setback to Blackburn College in the consolation game of the event. Mallory Scharf '11 posted a double-double for 0-4 Grinnell with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Brianna Gallo '11 added 10 points, five steals and four rebounds. Jessica Shotts '10 added nine points and Jessica Vaverka '11 eight boards.

Ariel Hawkey had 18 points to lead 1-2 Blackburn, while Sierra Shipley tallied a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

The winners never trailed, but Grinnell still stayed close early and was down just 10-9 following a 3-pointer by Watkins. It was still a two-point game a bit later when Scharf's trey made it 14-12, but Blackburn answered with a 15-2 run to take a 29-14 lead.

The winners were still ahead by 15, 34-19, at halftime and maintained that edge until Grinnell made a final surge. A 12-3 run that included 3-pointers by Gallo and Watkins, layups by Shotts and Scharf and two free throws by Shotts brought Grinnell within 57-51 with 4:14 to go. That's when Blackburn countered with a seven-point run to pull away for the win.

Grinnell plays at Wisconsin-River Falls next Saturday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
Box Score

The Grinnell College women's basketball team faced a difficult test, against Oglethorpe University, but still held tough against the nation's No. 2 ranked team in the opening round of the Pfund Classic hosted by Wheaton College Friday afternoon.

Oglethorpe shot out to a 48-32 halftime lead on its way to an 87-60 victory over the Pioneers. The win sends 3-0 Oglethorpe to the championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday, while the 0-3 Pioneers will play either Blackburn or the host school at 1 p.m. in the consolation game.

Mallory Scharf '11 just missed a double-double for Grinnell as she had a team-high 12 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Jessica Shotts '10 had 10 points and eight boards. Brianna Gallo '11 had nine points and two steals, while Ashley Jeannin '12 also had two steals.

After falling behind by 16 at the break, Grinnell was only outscored by nine points in the second half.
Box Score

After spotting Coe College the game's first 13 points, the Grinnell College women's basketball team made a strong charge and challenged the Kohawks the rest of the game before falling 63-51 Sunday at Darby Gymnasium.

With the win, Coe finished as the lone unbeaten at the Grinnell Tip-Off Invitational with a 2-0 record. Augustana and Martin Luther both finished 1-1 after Augustana posted a 66-48 win in Sunday's first game, while the Pioneers finished at 0-2.

Grinnell had one all-tournament team member in Brianna Gallo '11 (pictured), who scored in double digits for the second straight game. She finished with 11 Sunday to go along with five assists and three steals. Other all-tourney members were Coe's Kayla Waskow and Sarah Anciaux, Augustana's Kristen Fox and Martin Luther's Erica Babinec.

Jessica Shotts '10 had the hot hand for Grinnell on Sunday with a game-high 17 points that included 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point land. She also had eight rebounds, as did Jessica Vaverka '11, while Megan Huey '12 had seven boards. Ashley Jeannin '12 added three assists. Anciaux led the winners with 15 points, while Kayla Lincoln recorded 10 of the Kohawks' 14 blocks.

Coe led 13-0 not even four minutes into the game before the Pioneers reeled off the next 13 points to tie it with 11:56 left in the first half. Gallo and Vaverka began the charge with baskets before Jodi Watkins '09 had a trey to make it 13-7. Gallo followed with two baskets and Huey another to make it 13-all.

Grinnell kept it up and, after being tied 20-all, scored six of the half's final eight points for a 26-22 lead at intermission. Shotts accounted for all the points with a pair of 3-pointers.

Coe retaliated, though, by scoring 14 straight points to start the second half. The Pioneers weren't done by any means as they clawed their way back. Trailing by seven, Shotts hit a 3-pointer and Huey made two shots to spark a 7-1 run that made it a 52-51 Coe lead with 4:33 to go. However, the Kohawks responded by scoring the final 11 points to secure the win.

In the day's first game, Fox scored 23 points for Augustana and Babinec tallied 18 for Martin Luther.

The Pioneers head to Wheaton, Ill., this coming weekend to participate in the Pfund Classic. The Pioneers play Oglethorpe at 1 p.m. Friday and then will participate in either the consolation or championship game the following day.
Grinnell vs. Coe Box Score
Augustana vs. Martin Luther Box Score
2008 Grinnell Tip-Off Invitational Wrapup

The Grinnell College women's basketball team hung close with the Martin Luther College Knights, but in the end the visitors came away with a 65-58 victory on the opening day of the Grinnell Tip-Off Invitational Saturday at Darby Gymnasium.

The win moves Martin Luther to 1-0 on the season, while the Pioneers fell to 0-1 in first-year coach Kate Gluckman's debut. In the other opening-day game, Coe College stopped Augustana College by a 72-66 score.

Grinnell lost despite a 16-point performance from Brianna Gallo '11 (pictured), which included a sparkling 13-of-14 performance from the free throw line. Mallory Scharf '11 and Jessica Shotts '10 had eight points apiece, while Shotts and Jessica Vaverka '11 came up with nine and eight rebounds, respectively. Vaverka also had four assists and two blocked shots. Martin Luther got a game-high 18 points from Erica Babinec.

The Pioneers led just once in the game, that coming at 2-0 on a jumper by Megan Huey '12. The scoring pace was slow in the early going as the Knights continued to cling to the lead, eventually stretching it to eight late in the first half. But the Pioneers reeled off six straight points on two free throws and a bucket by Sharf and a basket by Huey to cut it to two. Martin Luther settled for a 31-28 halftime lead.

The visitors started quickly in the second half and built their cushion to 11 before Grinnell again charged back, coming within 50-48 with 6:40 left on two free throws by Gallo. After Martin Luther went ahead by six, Grinnell again came back with two free throws by Jodi Watkins '09 and two more from Kate Norton '11 to make it 56-54 with 2:59 left.

That was as close as Grinnell would get, though, even though twice down the stretch the hosts were within three before Martin Luther scored the final four points of the game.

In the day's other game, Kayla Waskow led a balanced Coe attack with 15 points and Kayla Lincoln had 13. Natalie Runge of Augustana led all scorers with 19 points. The event concludes Sunday with two more games, as Augustana plays Martin Luther at 1 p.m. and Grinnell meets Coe at 3.
Coe vs. Augustana Box Score
Grinnell vs. Martin Luther Box Score