STORM LAKE, Iowa (November 21, 2021) - Freshman Taylor Krager turned in a career-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help lead the way for the Buena Vista women's basketball team during its home opener on Tuesday evening, but it was visiting Grinnell College squeaking out a narrow 64-57 victory inside of Siebens Fieldhouse.

Krager finished 6-of-13 shooting from the field while making all six free-throw attempts.  Sophomore Vanessa Hamlett followed with 12 points and a game-leading eight boards while junior Emerson Else and sophomore Addison Weber eached made a pair of long range buckets to finish with six poins apiece.

Buena Vista struggled from downtown, making just 5-of-21 attempts while shooting 32.8 percent from the field overall.  The team did, however, get the job done at the charity stripe by sinking 14-of-16 opportunities.

Grinnell held a slim 17-13 after one quarter and extended the margin to 37-28 at the half.  Buena Vista got a three-point make from Lindsie Graff just before the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter and brought the Beavers to within 53-46 heading to the final stanza.  BVU kept chipping away at the Pioneer lead and pulled within just two at 57-55 on a layup by Krager with under three minutes to go.  Grinnell, which went just 2-of-11 from the field in the quarter, responded with a big three-point make on the next possession to move it back to a five-point margin, and then the Pioneers made 4-of-6 attempts from the line in the closing minute to hang on for the win.

Erin Lillis turned in a game-high 22 points to lead the Pioneers (3-3) with Sofia Ahooja right behind with 16.  Grinnell finished the game at 44.4 percent shooting from the field but just 5-of-17 from downtown.

The Beavers move to 2-2 on the year and will look to bounce back when it hosts UW-River Falls (3-2) on Saturday afternoon in a 3:00 p.m. contest.