Norse Women Lose In Final Seconds To Glen Oaks

CENTREVILLE, Mich.---The Bay College women's basketball team wrapped up a downstate roadtrip on Saturday with a tough 52-51 loss to Glen Oaks Community College in a game that never saw a lead bigger than six and went right down to the wire.

Shawn 'Ta Standifer sank two free throws with 3,3 seconds left to play to give the Vikings the lead, then Cierra Molina's desperation triple missed as time ran out.

"One thing we can take from it is that our energy was a little bit better through some of the game, at least," Norse Coach Matt Gregory said. "I thought that our defensive effort was not there most of the time. They were able to get to the paint a lot of the time, and that forced us to have some foul trouble early. That gave them some open looks, so obvously, we've got to take care of that side of it, too."

The Norse led, 14-11, after trhe first quater before the Vikings went on a 10-2 run to go up by five. But Bree Arsenault ended the scoring drought with a triple, and Kennedy Englund added a triple of her own before halftime, and the Norse took a 26-25 lead into the dressing room.

The second half started well for Bay when Lauryn Bloniarz scored inside off a pass from Holly Wardynski, and then Wardynski stole the inbound pass and scored to make it 30-25.

The Norse held leads of 35-29 and 37-32 later in the third quarter, with Arsenault's reverse layup making it a five-point lead. But the Norse gave up eleven straight points over the end of the third and start of fourth quatters, with Standifer nailing a triple to end the third.

The Vikings (2-4) had a 43-37 lead, but the Norse rallied to tie it at 47 when Molina sank a three with 4:53 left, and Bloniarz scored on a put-back with 3:50 left on the clock.

Bay completed a 14-5 spurt with another Bloniarz basket and a Molina lay-up, making it 51-48 with 1:09 left. The Norse, however, did not score again. Molina got a steal in the final minute and was fouled driving to the basket, but missed two straight free throws.

Standifer then went inside and drew the foul after a Vikings time out  and swished both free throws to send the Norse to their second loss of the weekend after they could not score a buzzer-beater.

"The play was to set a screen for Cierra, and get the ball to Kennedy possibly, in the corner," Gregory said. "When the screen was set, Lauryn popped out, too, and that could have been an option to hit Lauryn right away for an inside bucket. So, there were some open possibilities that they're not going to key up on. We've got to see those opportunities. It is what it is."

Bay was led in scoring by Englund's ten points. Molina, Bloniarz, and Wardynski all contributed eight points.

Glen Oaks got 13 points from Jazmyn Vines and 12 from Standifer. Vines made seven of eight free throws, and Standifer made all four of her foul shots.

The Norse (4-6) travel to Finlandia University on Wednesday. The Lions are 4-1 after beating Bryant & Stratton on Saturday, 71-51. The Bay-Finlandia game starts at 5:30 on Wednesday and will be broadcast live on Maverick 106.3 and www.radioresultsnetwork.com.