OSKALOOSA, IOWA – In the final week of the regular season, the Vikings traveled to Oskaloosa to face the William Penn Statesmen. After a slow start, Grand View found its rhythm in the second half, exploding for a dominant third quarter. The Vikings outscored the Statesmen 40-10 after halftime, sealing an emphatic 71-41 victory.
Grand View struggled to find offensive rhythm inside the arc early in the contest, failing to convert a two-point field goal until the second quarter. However,
Ella Larsen's sharpshooting from beyond the arc (3-for-4) kept the Vikings within striking distance as William Penn built an early lead. By the end of the opening 10 minutes, GV trailed by just one possession.
The tempo shifted in Grand View's favor in the second quarter as they successfully pushed the pace and struck first to open the frame. Larsen buried another three-pointer to give the Vikings an 18-14 advantage, but the Statesmen responded with a surge, extending their largest lead of the half to seven. GV quickly countered with a 6-0 run to knot the score once again, setting up a back-and-forth battle in the final minutes. Neither team gained separation, and the first half concluded in a deadlock at 31-31.
The Vikings found a spark in
Anna Gossling, who delivered a quick five points to push GVU ahead by nine just three minutes into the second half. Fueled by her offensive surge, the Vikings exploded for 26 third-quarter points, putting the game out of reach for the Statesmen. Gossling led the charge with 12 of those 26 points.
Grand View's defense took over in the final quarter, holding William Penn scoreless until the final minute. The Vikings closed the contest commandingly, leaving Oskaloosa with a dominant 71-41 victory.
GAME NOTES
- Anna Gossling led the Vikings with a double-double, scoring 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds.
- Cleao Murray added 18 points, knocking down three triples while shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
- Ella Larsen chipped in 13 points, going 3-for-6 from deep and securing 9 rebounds.
- GVU dominated the glass, outrebounding William Penn 46-33, including 18 offensive boards.
- The Vikings caught fire from three, hitting 14-of-32 (43.8%) compared to just 3-of-22 (13.6%) from WPU.
- GV has outscored opponents in the second half 1,054 to 906 this season.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will face a big challenge on the road Saturday as they travel to Atchinson, KS, for a rematch of their February 3rd game. The game will tip off at 12:00 p.m.
