GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell by a 79-33 score at Calvin on Saturday afternoon.

 

The Belles got a stop at one and got on the scoreboard at the other end to begin the game as Athena Samson hit a layup on the first Saint Mary's possession. Samson then converted both ends of a trip to the charity stripe for an early 4-2 lead, and Samson kept the next possession alive with an offensive board before hitting a shot from outside the lane to make it 6-2. Calvin pulled even with back-to-back buckets before claiming an 8-6 lead with under six minutes remaining. The Belles had a couple of chances roll off the rim while the Knights hit shots on their next two possessions for a 12-6 advantage as Saint Mary's called a timeout with 4:29 on the clock. Lauren Gumma got the Belles back on track with a three-pointer from the corner off of a kick-out pass by Julia Schutz to cut the deficit to three at 12-9. The Knights, however, responded with back-to-back buckets to gain a 16-9 advantage. Kate Restovich connected on a free throw with just over a minute to play, but Calvin gained an 18-10 lead and added two late free throws for a 20-10 lead at the end of one quarter.

 

Athena Samson hit a shot just before the expiration of the shot clock to open the scoring in the second quarter. Two possessions later, Elle Deardorff drained a three-pointer to make it a 22-15 score. Saint Mary's used a defensive stop, and Nicole Connolly used a strong step-through move to hit a shot in the paint to make it a five-point game. The Knights responded with a layup before using another good bucket to extend their lead back to nine. A fastbreak bucket by Calvin made it a 28-17 game with just under six minutes remaining on the clock, and a pair of free throws by the Knights moments later put Calvin ahead 30-17. The two sides hit a scoreless stretch of more than four minutes before the Knights called a timeout with 1:32 on the clock. The combined scoring drought continued for the next minute of play before a Calvin layup gave the Knights a 32-17 lead. Avery Schiesser connected on a free throw with a second to go before the half to make it a 32-18 game at the break.

 

Calvin began the third quarter by putting six points on the scoreboard for a 38-18 lead. Annie Restovich drew a foul on a strong drive to the bucket and converted both free throws to get the Belles on the scoreboard. The Knights posted eight straight points for a 46-20 advantage as the Belles called a timeout with 5:13 on the clock. Annie Restovich sunk a three-pointer, and Julia Schutz added a pair of free throws a minute later to make it a 48-25 game with 3:23 to go in the third. The Belles got a defensive stop, and Kate Restovich hit the tough jumper while being fouled to push the score to 48-27. After the Knights posted back-to-back buckets, Restovich put a free throw on the scoreboard to make it 52-28 with over a minute to go in the period. Calvin, however, added four late points in the quarter to hold a 56-28 lead going into the fourth.

 

Elle Deardorff banked in a pull-up jumper from the right elbow, but the Knights were able to score on their first two possessions to build a 60-30 lead. Deardorff added a step-back three-pointer but the Belles ultimately fell in the 79-33 final.

 

Athena Samson and Elle Deardorff paced the Belles with eight points apiece. Samson and Julia Schutz led the team with six rebounds each. Annie Restovich put up five points, Kate Restovich added four points, and Lauren Gumma posted three. Nicole Connolly, Schutz, and Avery Schiesser all registered points in the contest for Saint Mary's. 

 

The Belles (5-13, 2-7 MIAA) have a break from competition on Wednesday and return to play when they host Trine on Saturday, January 27 at 1:00 p.m.