DES MOINES, IA – Grand View Women's Basketball hosted Graceland University on Wednesday night, showcasing a dominant and well-rounded scoring effort. The Vikings capitalized on early offensive success to establish control and cruise to an 83-64 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

Grand View came out firing, hitting six of 12 three-point attempts in the opening quarter. Anna Gossling got things started, with Eva Solseth, Cleao Murray, and Ella Larsen quickly adding deep shots of their own. Murray drained two back-to-back threes, both assisted by Larsen, to help the Vikings surge to a 32-20 lead by the end of the first quarter. Solseth closed the period with a tough layup through contact. Murray was unstoppable in the quarter, tallying 13 points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc.

Graceland mounted a response in the second quarter, cutting the Vikings' lead to just five points midway through the frame. With their three-point shooting cooling off, Grand View adjusted by focusing on rebounding and scoring at the rim. Murray and Larsen each contributed key putback layups off missed three-pointers. Gossling, Larsen, Murray, and Reagan Mudderman added layups to further extend the Vikings' lead. By halftime, Grand View held a 48-37 advantage, led by Murray's 17 points and Larsen's seven rebounds.

The Vikings' defense took center stage in the third quarter, limiting the Yellow Jackets to just five points while building on their lead. Murray fronted the offensive attack, scoring 11 of Grand View's 22 points in the period. Three successful and-one layups—two from Murray and one from Claire Galbraith—fueled a 29-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Grand View maintained control in the final frame. Murray added another three-point play, while Gossling and Galbraith chipped in additional layups. Despite a late push by Graceland, the Vikings' early dominance and ability to outscore their opponents in the paint, coupled with securing critical rebounds, solidified the 83-64 victory.

GAME NOTES

• Cleao Murray recorded a season-high 31 points, going 13-for-18 from the field and 3-for-6 from deep. She also tallied 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
• Anna Gossling contributed 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting, along with 2 steals and 2 assists.
• Ella Larsen pulled down 13 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, and chipped in 7 points. 
• The Vikings shot an impressive 54.2% from the field.
• Grand View dominated the Yellow Jackets in points in the paint (48-26), rebounds (39-26), and second chance points (10-16).

UP NEXT
The Vikings travel to Baldwin City, Kansas, on Saturday, December 14, to face Baker University in a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.