The Malone University women's basketball team picked up where it left off last season with an 80-68 victory over Lake Superior State University in its 2017-18 season opener Friday afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Pioneers, who finished 7th in the nation with nine three-pointers a game last season, tossed in 13 three-pointers and finished 52.0% from beyond the arc as they opened the season with the non-conference victory over the Lakers.
 
Recap
A three-pointer by junior guard Chrissie Vaughan early in the first quarter gave the Pioneers a 5-2 lead that they would never relinquish. Threes from senior forward Baylen Dyrlund and junior guard Paiten Strother later in the quarter gave Malone its largest lead of the frame at 20-10 before Lake Superior State scored the final six points of the quarter to make it 20-16.
 
LSSU closed to within two points at 20-18 with a steal and a layup in the opening minute of the second quarter before Malone began to pull away. A Dyrlund layup ended the 8-0 run and three-pointers by sophomore guards Sydney Wentling and Dani Drayer helped Malone stretch its lead back to double digits. Vaughan added another trey late in the quarter as her three-pointer in the final minute gave the Pioneers a 42-29 advantage headed into the intermission.
 
After shooting 8-of-13 (61.5%) from three-point range in the first half, the Pioneers fared even better in third quarter, knocking down 5-of-6 (83.3%) from deep. Malone opened the second half with back-to-back triples from junior forward Naomi Grandison. Treys from Wentling, Drayer, and Vaughan helped the Pioneers extend their lead to 23 points, the largest lead of the game, as they went into the fourth quarter ahead 67-44.
 
The Lakers began the fourth quarter on a 12-3 run that trimmed the lead to 70-56. Still down 76-60 late in the game, LSSU gave Malone a little bit of a scare, using an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to eight. With just 35 seconds remaining, however, Malone was able to close out the victory as Holly Groff knocked down four free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone finished 11-of-12 (91.7%) at the free-throw line and 13-of 23 (52.0%) from distance. 
-Overall, the Pioneers shot 45.9% (28-of-61) from the floor, while the Lakers shot 49.9% (28-of-57), but were just 5-of-13 (38.5%) from three-point range.
-The Lakers' 49.1% mark from the field was the highest by a Malone opponent since February of 2016.
-LSSU held a 32-16 edge in points in the paint and points off of turnovers (16-5).
-Malone maintained the advantage in bench points, 23-15, and a slim edge in rebounding 33-31
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-In 20 minutes off the bench, Paiten Strother totaled 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Strother was 3-of-3 from deep and 2-for-2 at the line.
-Baylen Dyrlund led Malone with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting
-Naomi Grandison led the Pioneers with 10 rebounds to go along with 12 points as she recorded her first collegiate double-double.
-Making her debut at starting point guard, Holly Groff scored eight points and dished out a career-high nine assists.
-Chrissie Vaughan totaled 11 points, nine coming on three three-pointers
-In her first career start, Sydney Wentling tied a career-high with 10 points.

Lake Superior State Individual Highlights
-Courtney Jacobsen led all scorers with 18 points.
-Tamar Novic chipped in with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Up Next
Malone returns to Canton to play its home opener next Wednesday, November 22nd against Northwood at 12:00 pm.