WINONA, Minn. – Five members of the St. Olaf College women's basketball team reached double figures as the Oles downed Saint Mary's University, 70-61, in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opener Saturday afternoon at Saint Mary's Gym.
Junior Keegan Mulvihill had a double-double and led St. Olaf with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Camryn Scott had 13 points and eight rebounds and senior Ella Skrien collected 12 points. First year Rachel Kelly added 11 points and five rebounds and sophomore K'Lynn Lewis reached double figures with10 points and six assists.
St. Olaf (4-2, 1-0 MIAC) shot 51.1 percent from the field while holding Saint Mary's (0-3, 0-1 MIAC) to 26.8 percent shooting in the game, and outscored the Cardinals, 22-12, in the fourth period to pick up the victory.
With the win, the Oles have won three of the last five meetings between the two teams, including a 78-71 victory in the last meeting on Jan. 31, 2019.
A jumper from senior Britta Koenen started a 10-3 in the first quarter as St. Olaf took an eight-point lead at 16-8 with 1:31 left in the period. The Oles scored three possessions in a row, including baskets from first year Sophie Olmen and Scott.
Kelly finished a three-point play with 19 seconds left in the quarter to put the Oles up six, 19-13, at the end of the period.
Halfway through the second quarter, the Cardinals evened the score, 21-21, as Brooklyn Paulsen sank a three pointer. There were four lead changes in the quarter, but a layup, followed by a pair of free throws from Kelly gave St. Olaf a 31-29 lead heading into the half. The Oles shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the first half, including a combined 6-for-6 from Scott and Kelly.
St. Olaf extended the lead to five at 6:03 in the third quarter before Saint Mary's scored the next seven points and took a two-point lead after a pair of free throws from Isabel Bettag.The Oles evened the score twice in the final three minutes of the quarter, but the Cardinals held the lead at 49-48 heading into the final period.
Lewis sank back-to-back three pointers to open the fourth quarter and give St. Olaf a five-point lead, 54-49, with 8:29 remaining in the game.
After Saint Mary's got within four of the Oles, Mulvihill and Skrien sank three-pointers that sparked a 10-2 run by St. Olaf to put the Oles up 12 at 64-52 with 2:26 left in the game. The 12-point lead would be the Oles' largest of the game.
Free throws from Paulson, followed by a pair from Bettag brought the Cardinals within seven with a minute to go, but Mulvihill was 4-for-5 from the line in the final minute of the game to secure the victory.
Koenen had four blocks for the second game in a row and the Oles had 18 points in the paint, compared to just 12 from the Cardinals.
St. Olaf hosts Bethel on Tuesday, November 26 for a MIAC contest, beginning at 7 p.m.