DES MOINES, IOWA – Grand View Women's Basketball hosted Culver-Stockton College in a competitive Heart of America Conference Tournament Quarterfinal on Tuesday night. Both teams fought for a spot in the semifinals, with the Vikings emerging victoriously in a 63-59 thriller. Strong performances across the board and timely plays allowed Grand View to withstand the Wildcats' challenges and hold off a late rally to secure the win.
The Wildcats were quick to strike in the opening minutes of the Quarterfinals, but Anna Gossling hit a three-pointer on a pass from Ella Larsen to put the Vikings on the scoreboard. The teams exchanged baskets, featuring a layup and a three from Culver-Stockton as well as an and-one layup from Cleao Murray. Culver-Stockton responded with another three, but it was Larsen who knocked down a three-pointer that sparked a 14-1 run for Grand View. The Wildcats managed just a single free throw during that stretch, allowing the Vikings to take a six-point lead. Defense played a key role in the Vikings' surge, with steals from Eva Solseth and Claire Galbraith that led to fast-break points, and Larsen drawing a charge to regain possession. The run was capped by another three-pointer from Larsen, though Culver-Stockton answered with a three of their own to finish the quarter. The Vikings led 20-14 after the first.
The second quarter began with back-to-back triples from both teams, including a three from Gossling. Solseth, Murray, and Galbraith all converted layups, but Culver-Stockton was able to close the gap with some strong inside play. Though the Wildcats briefly took the lead, back-to-back layups from Solseth and Larsen, followed by Larsen's third three-pointer of the half, kept the Vikings ahead 34-32 at the break. Larsen and Gossling led the team with nine and eight points, respectively. Grand View's slight advantage could be attributed to their ability to limit turnovers, committing just two in the first half compared to the Wildcats' nine.
In the third quarter, scoring slowed for both teams. The Vikings tallied just nine points, while Culver-Stockton scored 13. Grand View struggled from beyond the arc, missing all six of their three-point attempts. Despite strong efforts from Gossling, Murray, and Solseth, the Vikings were plagued by seven turnovers in the quarter, which led to some offensive struggles. Culver-Stockton managed to take a 45-43 lead into the final period after a late jump shot from Galbraith was answered by a three from the Wildcats.
The fourth quarter played out similarly to the first, as Grand View was able to pull ahead with two crucial three-pointers from Murray and Abigail Jones, pushing their lead to four points with six minutes remaining. Culver-Stockton kept fighting, trimming the deficit to one three times in the final minutes, but the Vikings responded with timely offensive plays to maintain their ground. Gossling, Solseth, and Murray all made key contributions, and clutch free throws from Jones, Gossling, and two from Larsen helped seal the victory. The Vikings held off the Wildcats for a 63-59 win, securing their spot in the soon-to-come semifinal contest.
GAME NOTES
- Cleao Murray led the Vikings with 16 points and 5 rebounds.
- Anna Gossling added 13 points, shooting 2-for-3 from three-point range, and 6 rebounds.
- Eva Solseth contributed 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals.
- Ella Larsen had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks in 26 minutes of play.
- Grand View converted 19 points off of Culver-Stockton's 19 turnovers.
- The Vikings will have the opportunity to defend their home court as they aim for a consecutive Conference Championship, following their victory in the 2023-24 season.
UP NEXT
Grand View will host Benedictine College on Friday, February 28th, at 6:00 PM for the Heart of America Conference Tournament Semifinals.
