PARKVILLE, MISSOURI – 23rd-ranked Grand View traveled south to open Heart of America play after a tough non-conference slate. The Vikings faced Park University in their conference opener, and despite a slow start, they received a huge boost throughout the game from
Anna Gossling, leading them to an 83-74 victory over the Pirates.
The Vikings set the tone early as
Ellie Rengstorf knocked down a three-pointer to open the scoring, but Park quickly matched their energy, with Makayla Artis establishing a strong inside presence. Grand View kept pace, relying on outside shooting from
Anna Gossling and
Abigail Jones, who both connected from beyond the arc to keep the game close. As the half progressed, both teams battled in a physical, back-and-forth matchup, with the Vikings fighting hard on the boards and working to disrupt Park's rhythm on offense. A surge in shooting accuracy in the second quarter helped Grand View pull ahead just before halftime, entering the locker room with a 40-38 edge.
The third quarter was a thrilling stretch, with momentum swinging as both teams exchanged key plays. After some early back-and-forth action,
Ella Larsen's layup helped Grand View narrow the gap, and Jones quickly followed with a three-pointer to tie it at 45. The Vikings turned up the defensive pressure, with
Anna Gossling and
Reagan Mudderman snagging timely steals to stall Park's offense. Gossling's back-to-back threes gave Grand View a 51-48 lead, but Park stayed close, including a big three from Ramiyah Logan. Larsen and Jones kept the Vikings in control with key free throws, and Gossling added another layup before Larsen extended the lead to 61-55 with two clutch free throws to close the quarter.
In a hard-fought fourth quarter, Grand View held off Park's final push. Gossling's two free throws and a critical three-pointer stretched the lead, while
Katie Fogarty and Larsen dominated the boards to create second-chance opportunities. Park fought to close the gap, with Nadiyah Cooper scoring in the paint and hitting a three-pointer, but Grand View's steady free-throw shooting kept the advantage intact. In the closing minutes, Rengstorf's timely block and aggressive defense sealed the game, as the Vikings emerged victorious after a resilient team effort.
Grand View's offense was led by
Anna Gossling, who delivered a standout performance with 30 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and an impressive 7-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Ella Larsen contributed a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while
Abigail Jones added 15 points, hitting all five of her field goal attempts, including five 3-pointers. The Vikings shot 47.4% from the field and a strong 52% from three-point range, while also excelling at the free-throw line with an 84.2% conversion rate. Defensively, the team totaled 11 steals and 2 blocks, helping them secure the win.
GAME NOTES
- Grand View outscored Park 24-21 in points off turnovers, showing strong defensive pressure.
- The Vikings dominated bench points with a 49-25 advantage, highlighting their depth.
- Park led in points in the paint, 32-24, but Grand View capitalized on perimeter shooting.
- The score was tied 4 times, but Grand View never trailed after the first quarter.
- Anna Gossling posted her second 30 point performance of the season, following her 32 point drop against Northwestern this past Saturday.
- Grand View has never dropped a game to Park.
- Ella Larsen posted a double-double including 11 boards and 19 points complimented by 7 assists and 3 steals.
NEXT UP
The Vikings will resume conference play on the road as they face a test against (RV) MidAmerica Nazerene this Saturday, November 16th. The Vikings and Pioneers will tip-off at 2:00 p.m.
