NOTRE DAME, IND. -- The Trine University women's basketball team began the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association portion of its 2019-20 schedule with a 97-48 win against Saint Mary's (Ind.) College in Notre Dame, Ind.
Despite scoring 97 points, the Thunder had just two players score in double figures in senior Katy Steers (Portage, Ind./Portage) and sophomore Rachel Stewart (Pekin, Ind./Eastern) who both scored 11 points. Sophomores Kayla Wildman (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) and Kaylee Argyle (Freeland, Mich./Freeland) were tied for second with nine points each.
Trine (4-2, 1-0 MIAA) scored 20 or more points in each quarter, but would only lead by a point, 13-12, at the 4:20 minute mark of the first period. A layup by freshman Sophie Sloneker (Monroe, Ohio/Monroe) then sparked an 11-5 scoring run to end the quarter to put the Thunder ahead by seven points, 24-17, after the opening 10 minutes of action.
Trine made its move in the second quarter as it outscored Saint Mary's (4-5, 1-1 MIAA), 27-10, and held the Belles to just 10 field goal attempts. The Thunder began the quarter with a layup by Steers and then two free-throws by junior Shay Herbert (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney) to record their first double-digit lead of the game, 28-17. The visitors gradually began to pull away, aided by a streak of 15 unanswered points as part of a greater 15-3 run to end the half for a 51-27 advantage at the break.
Saint Mary's shot 42.9 percent in the third quarter, but was held to seven field goal attempts which led to another sizeable scoring advantage in the period for the Thunder. Trine hit the 30-point lead plateau with 7:31 to go in the quarter as part of four straight free-throws by Steers. A three-pointer by freshman Makayla Ardis (Lake City, Mich./Lake City) gave Trine its largest lead of the game to that point of 43 points en route to having a 77-40 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Trine defense held Saint Mary's to eight points in the final 10 minutes which led to Trine recording its largest lead of the game of 52 points, 95-43, with just under three minutes to go in the game following a layup by freshman Alyssa Argyle (Freeland, Mich./Freeland). The layup would be the final points of the game for the Thunder who cruised to the 95-46 final.
Trine will next travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. to take on Calvin College next Saturday, Dec. 14. The two teams are scheduled to play at 3 p.m.