Poor Shooting Haunts Lady Norse In Trip Opener

RIVER GROVE, Ill.---The Bay College women's basketball team made just 25 percent of the shots taken from the floor Friday night and that led to a 61-48 loss to Triton College in suburban Chicago. It was the second loss of the season for the Norse against the Trojans.

There wasn't much scoring in the first half, and the game was tight all the way. Triton led, 10-8, after the first quarter, and although the Norse never tied or took the lead, the game was within a few points until a big swing in the final seconds of the second quarter.

Trailing 22-17, Bay worked an out-of-bounds play, and Kennedy Englund swished a three-pointer from the left wing. Only problem: it was less than one second after the shot clock expired, so the basket didn't count. Then the Trojans worked it up court for a buzzer-beating triple by Aaliyah Dixon. That gave Triton its biggest lead of the game at 25-17.

Then Triton's Linarys Burnett-Romero got hot, sinking three triples in the third quarter to put the Norse into a big hole.

Englund and Bree Arensault made triples late in the quarter to bring Bay to within 47-38, but then the Trojans went inside for a 10-3 run with baskets from Mariah Henry and Keiasha Rimmer. The Norse were down at that point, 57-41.

Bay's top scorer was Lauryn Bloniarz. The Bark River-Harris graduate led all scorers with 21 points, including two baskets that brought Bay to within 57-48. They would get no closer, and lost to the Trojans for the second time, after also losing by 24 points three weeks ago.

Henry led Triton (2-6) with 16 points. Rimmer and Dixon both scored ten.

For Bay (1-4), besides Bloniarz's 21 points, Arsenault reached double figures with 11.

The Norse made 17 of 22 free throws in the game.

The Norse have another tough game on Saturday agaignst 15th ranked Morton College in Cicero, Ill. Game time is 2:00 ET/1:00 CT. It will be broadcast live on Maverick 106.3 FM and on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com.

Click the thumbanils above to hear post game comments from Coach Matt Gregory, and the player spotlight interview with Cierra Molina. Also see photos and videos.