MENOMONIE, Wisc. – The Trine University women's basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat the University of Wisconsin-Stout 66-49 on the road Saturday.
The Thunder have won their first four games this season and continue to hold their number three ranking in NCAA DIII. The Blue Devils stumble to 2-3.
It took nearly three minutes for Trine to get on the board via a Sam Underhill [Grand Rapids, Mich. / Northview] jump shot. Underhill converted a lay-up a few possessions later and Kaylee Argyle [Freeland, Mich. / Freeland] gave the Thunder their first lead of the game 6-5 at the halfway point in the first quarter.
Kelsy Taylor [Louisville, Ky. / New Albany] nailed a jumper from Natalee Kunse [Clare, Mich. / Clare] in the final minute to make it 9-7 Trine at the end of the period.
Tara Bieniewicz [Chesterfield, Mich. / Dakota] recorded the first Trine make from long range early in the second period that sparked a 13-1 scoring run. It included makes on seven straight possessions for the Thunder to go up 25-12 with 4:12 to go until halftime.
Makayla Ardis [Lake City, Mich. / Lake City] connected from long range to go into the locker room up 28-14.
Out of the half, Bieniewicz tacked on another three on the first possession to make it 31-14. Kayla Wildman [Rockford, Mich. / Rockford] chimed in from distance as well as the Thunder extended the lead.
Katie Sloneker [Monroe, Ohio / Monroe] made her presence known in the third quarter with three baskets in a two-minute stretch, including an and-one to get the gap over 20. Alyssa Argyle [Freeland, Mich. / Freeland] marked her first points of the game with a made three-point jump shot with under a minute left in the third to go up 53-30.
The Blue Devils were able to win the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to overcome the hole they had dug themselves as the Thunder went on to win 66-49.
Taylor and Bieniewicz were double digit scorers with 10 apiece and the guard Ardis had eight points and a team-high six rebounds. Rachel Stewart [Pekin, Ind. / Eastern] did a little bit of everything: eight points, three rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.
As a team, the Thunder forced Wisconsin-Stout to shoot 30.2% (16-for-53) from the field and 30.8% (4-for-13) from three.
The road trip in Wisconsin continues for the Trine women tomorrow when the Thunder square off with Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Tip-off for that one is at 3 pm (Eastern Time).