STORM LAKE, Iowa (December 30, 2021) -
Mallory McCall and
Vanessa Hamlett each registered double-doubles while
Taylor Krager turned in a game-high 17 points, but it all wasn't quite enough as the Pipers made five free-throws in the closing minute to pull away for a 65-58 non-conference victory inside of Siebens Fieldhouse.
McCall, who was playing just her fourth game of the year, scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds to mark her first career double-double. Hamlett, meanwhile, posted her fourth double-double of the year, scoring 10 points and hauling in a game-high 11 boards. Krager, who came off the bench, scored a game-high 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting while
Anna Lundahl registered 10 points and six rebounds. The Beavers out-rebounded the Pipers 40-30 and scored 20 second-chance points in the contest.
After going just 3-of-15 from the field in the opening quarter and trailed 14-8 going to the second, BVU began to find its shooting touch and shot better than 40 percent in each of the next two frames despite trailing 50-40 heading to the fourth.
Hamline matched its largest lead of the game at 60-48 with four minutes to play in the fourth quarter before Buena Vista trimmed that deficit down to 60-56 with just under 1:50 left in regulation. The Beavers remained as close as four with just under one minute to go, but came up empty down the stretch as the Pipers made five big free-throw attempts in the closing minute to hang on. Buena Vista was a strong 12-of-15 from the charity stripe in the contest, but Hamline was able to get to the line 26 times and made 18.
Eight different players scored at least five points for Hamline which improved to 7-2 on the year with the victory. Lydia Lecher and Alyssa Williamson each scored 12 points to help lead the way while Tess Hauer scored 10 points and grabbed 11 boards.
Buena Vista dips to 4-6 overall and will be off until it resumes its American Rivers Conference schedule on January 5 on the road at Simpson College. Tip-off against the Storm is set for 5:30 p.m.
