12/30/06

The view at the Grand Canyon is usually from up high looking downward, but the Saints instead spent their first game at the Grand Canyon Classic looking up at the lead Drew University broke out to early in the first half and maintained throughout the remainder of the game as the Rangers (6-5 overall) defeated St. Scholastica 66-54.

A pair of free throws from Heather Saralampi gave the Saints an early 2-0 lead but Drew would score the next nine points in jumping out to a 9-2 lead, a margin they would stretch to 11 as the teams entered the intermission with the Rangers ahead 34-23.

The Saints shot only 31 percent from the field in the first half as they valiantly tried to keep the score close through the opening 20 minutes, but their shooting percentage dropped to only 26 percent in the second half as Drew pulled away to a 21 point lead that the Saints would eventually trim to 12 as the second half closed.

Senior Jessie Stenberg scored seven points in each half to finish with a team-high 14 for the Saints while Saralampi finished with 13 in the loss.

Freshman Kirsten Haukom had a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Saints on the boards as St. Scholastica out rebounded the Rangers, 36 to 34.

The Saints (3-6 overall, 0-1 UMAC) will try to get back on the winning track in their second game at the Classic, a Dec. 31 match-up against Wesleyan (Conn.) University.