Grace Ladies Remain Unbeaten
PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Grace College women’s basketball team continued its fast start to the 2014-15 season with a 75-68 victory at Trinity Christian on Saturday.
Allison Kauffman poured in 22 points, and Kelsie Peterson added 17 to lead the Lady Lancers to a third consecutive win to kick off the season.
The Trolls started on a strong note, claiming a double-digit lead in the first half. Trinity Christian led by as many as 12 in the opening half, but Grace used a 12-2 spurt to climb back into the game. Kauffman had five points in that run, and Darian Patton added four.
Shortly after Grace’s 12-2 run, the Lady Lancers scored six unanswered to claim a 39-34 advantage, and Grace never trailed again.
The Trolls fell behind by 11 in the second half before making a furious rally. Trinity Christian erased a 55-44 deficit, cutting Grace’s lead to two at 59-57 on a 3-pointer. But Patton buried a 3-pointer of her own for Grace to end the Trolls threat, and the Lady Lancers never led by fewer than five points for the rest of the contest.
Kauffman’s 22 points led all players. She made 5-of-11 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Peterson finished with 17 points, making all four of her foul shots.
Patton was efficient on offense, producing 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. Lindsey Schaefer tallied seven points and six rebounds, Kelsey Sule scored five off the bench, and Gabby Bryant had four points and three assists.
Grace forced Trinity Christian in 26 turnovers, scoring 26 points off those miscues.
The Lady Lancers return to the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center on Nov. 8 for a 1 p.m. game against Indiana Tech.