KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside women's basketball could not overcome a cold second half in its GLIAC opener Thursday night, falling 56-48 to No. 17 Northern Michigan at DeSimone Arena. The Wildcats moved to 9-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Rangers slipped to 4-4 and 0-1 in the league.
Northern Michigan, which entered as one of the GLIAC's most efficient perimeter teams, endured its worst 3-point shooting performance of the season, finishing just 2-for-23 (9 percent) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats compensated with size, balance and second-chance opportunities, owning a 46-39 edge on the glass and outscoring Parkside 32-22 in the paint.
The game opened at a blistering pace, with Northern shooting 59 percent in the first quarter to build a 22-17 lead. Parkside answered in the second, tightening up defensively and getting hot from deep. The Rangers hit three 3-pointers in the period and closed the half on a 17-8 surge to take a 31-30 advantage into the locker room.
Out of the break, however, the Wildcats steadily took control. Northern Michigan held Parkside to 4-for-18 shooting in the third quarter and just nine points, reclaiming a 42-40 lead heading to the fourth. The Wildcats then opened the final frame on a 6-2 run and never trailed again, limiting the Rangers to 4-for-15 shooting over the last 10 minutes and keeping them scoreless from the 3-point line after halftime. Parkside went 0-for-11 from deep in the second half and finished 5-for-23 (22 percent) overall, while shooting 33 percent from the field and 43 percent at the free-throw line.
Northern Michigan's frontcourt set the tone. Alyssa Hill recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, going 4-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 at the line. Sarah Newcomer matched her with 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including one of the Wildcats' two makes from beyond the arc, and added five rebounds. Off the bench, Faith Walder provided a major spark, scoring a team-high 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting and 2-for-2 at the stripe. The Wildcats committed just 10 turnovers and shot 73 percent at the line.
Parkside was led by sophomore guard Katie Hamill, who finished with a game-high 15 points on 6-for-16 shooting, including 3-for-8 from 3-point range. She added five rebounds, three assists and four steals while playing 36 minutes. Junior forward Cassidy Arni delivered 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds to go with two assists and a steal.
Lillie Petersen added seven points and seven rebounds, and point guard Peighton Nelson contributed six points, four rebounds and a team-best four assists. Off the bench, Alli Hampel supplied four points and four rebounds, while Lexi Bugajski grabbed six boards and handed out two assists. The Rangers totaled 12 assists on 20 made field goals and matched Northern in points off turnovers (eight each), but their second-half shooting drought and struggles at the line proved costly.
Parkside will look to bounce back quickly as it continues GLIAC opening weekend on Saturday, Dec. 6, when the Rangers host Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. CT at DeSimone Arena.
To keep up with the Rangers, be sure to visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.
