BEMIDJI, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team fell on the road to Division II Bemidji State University, 85-53, Monday night in Bemidji, Minn.
 
Maddy Grove opened the scoring with UMM's first shot inside the arc, but the Beavers responded immediately with a three-pointer. Claire Stark ended an eight-point BSU run with a layup assisted by Gianna Klarenbeek. Another jumper from Grove sparked a Cougar run, with Shelby Mortenson adding the next four points to cut the deficit to three. Anna Myers knocked down a three-pointer with under two minutes left in the quarter. Grace Perry then grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back to make the score 18-15 after the first 10 minutes.
 
Bemidji State took full control in the second quarter, scoring 23 unanswered points. Brooke Ver Steeg ended the drought with a layup after grabbing an offensive board, but BSU continued to extend its lead as the Cougars added just three more points before halftime.
 
Minnesota Morris had a stronger start to the second half. Klarenbeek opened with a three, and after a BSU turnover, Grove added another bucket. Itzel Salazar scored her first points on a layup and converted the free throw to complete the three-point play. Grove reached double figures in the final minute of the quarter and knocked down a pair of free throws to close out the third.
 
Salazar scored the first Cougar points of the fourth quarter with a pull-up jumper. Scoring slowed until Grove recorded a steal and hit from behind the arc. McKenna McIlonie tallied her first points of the season with the Cougars' final three-pointer of the night.
 
Grove once again led the Cougars with 17 points, leaving her just three shy of 1,000 career points. Eight other Cougars scored, with Salazar and Mortenson rounding out the top three with seven and six points, respectively. Klarenbeek and Taylor Johnson led the team with two assists each.
 
Defensively, Ver Steeg and Mortenson paced UMM with six rebounds apiece. The Cougars collected 13 steals, led by Grove's three. Grove, Stark, Mortenson, and Reece Wassink each recorded a block.
 
Minnesota Morris continues its road trip tomorrow (Tuesday), traveling to Ellendale, N.D., for a 5:30 p.m. matchup with Trinity Bible College.