CANTON, MISSOURI – Grand View Women's Basketball got off to a hot start Saturday afternoon, leveraging their sharp shooting from beyond the arc in the first half to take control early in their 76-65 victory over Culver-Stockton College. The Vikings maintained their early advantage with high-pressure defense and key contributions from all over the court, sealing the win on the road.
Cleao Murray kicked things off for the Vikings, hitting a jump shot followed by a three-pointer within the first few minutes of play. Both teams came out aggressive on defense, forcing long possessions and limiting scoring opportunities, but a big block from
Eva Solseth aimed to create offensive momentum as she converted the defensive pressure into a three-point basket. What followed was an up-tempo scoring exchange, featuring long-range shots from
Anna Gossling and
Reagan Mudderman. Grand View finished the quarter on top with a layup from
Brianna Fields and a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Mudderman to push their lead to 21-14.
Culver-Stockton came out strong in the second quarter with two consecutive three-pointers and a jump shot, narrowing the Vikings' lead. But Grand View quickly responded with a 15-point run to regain control.
Ellie Rengstorf, Gossling, Mudderman, and Murray all contributed during the run. The Wildcats couldn't find any consistent answers as Grand View fired back with long-range shots from Gossling and freshman
Eva Peterson. By halftime, the Vikings had extended their lead to 42-26, with Gossling leading all scorers with 13 points, followed by Mudderman with 9 on a perfect 3-for-3 from deep. Grand View shot an impressive 52.6% (10-19) from three-point range in the first half, with Larsen pulling down 10 rebounds to help control the boards.
The second half began with a layup from Rengstorf, followed by a three-pointer from Murray, assisted by Larsen, pushing the Vikings' lead back up following a Wildcat basket. Culver-Stockton mounted a brief 8-point run, but Solseth concluded it with a quick layup. Gossling, Fields, and Solseth each added a basket as the teams traded back and forth. The Wildcats fought to stay in the game, cutting the lead to 11 by the end of the third quarter through their success on the offensive boards. At the close of the third, Grand View led 59-48.
In the final quarter, the Wildcats tried to mount a comeback, cutting the Vikings' lead to 9 early. However, Murray responded with a layup, and Gossling added two free throws to stretch the lead back to 13. Gossling, who finished the game with 27 points, put the game out of reach with 10 points in the fourth quarter, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Culver-Stockton matched the Vikings' scoring in the final period, but Grand View held on for the 76-65 win.
GAME NOTES
- Anna Gossling poured in 27 points, shooting 3-for-5 from three-point range and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
- Cleao Murray contributed 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
- Eva Solseth added 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
- Ella Larsen grabbed 13 boards, dished out 6 assists, and collected 2 steals.
- Reagan Mudderman made a strong impact off the bench in the first half, adding 9 points on 3-for-5 shooting.
- The Vikings shot 48.1% (25-52) from the field, 45.8% (11-24) from three-point range, and 15-20 (70%) from the free throw line.
- While both teams were close in many statistical categories, Grand View's early three-point success proved to be the difference.
UP NEXT
The Vikings return home next week to begin a four-game home stretch. Their first matchup will be against Mount Mercy University on Wednesday, January 29th, at 5:30 p.m.
