ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team fell 84-68 to the College of St. Scholastica in the final game of the CSB Tip-Off Saturday afternoon in St. Joseph, Minn. Maddy Grove was named to the All-Tournament Team for the third consecutive season.
 
"It was nice getting three players in double figures after not having any last night," said head coach Tim Grove. "We have a lot to work on defensively to be the kind of team we want to be. "
 
St. Scholastica opened the scoring, but Gianna Klarenbeek answered with a three-pointer assisted by Shelby Mortenson to put UMM in front. After trading baskets, the score was tied at five. Klarenbeek then made a layup to spark an eight-point run with contributions from Grove, Grace Perry, and Klarenbeek. CSS responded with nine straight points to regain the lead. Three free throws by Claire Stark tied the game, and a three-pointer from Klarenbeek put UMM ahead 19-18 after the first quarter.
 
Stark scored the first point of the second quarter with another free throw, but the Saints quickly regained the lead and began to build on it. A layup from Grove halted the CSS run, but St. Scholastica knocked down four three-pointers to extend its lead to 15. Anna Myers added a pair of free throws to end the UMM drought, but the Saints answered with another three. CSS closed the half with its seventh three-pointer of the quarter, taking a 45-28 lead into the break.
 
Mortenson and Stark scored in the paint to open the second half for the Cougars. Myers hit a three, followed by a three-point play from Grove and a free throw from Mortenson to cut the deficit to nine. However, more CSS three-pointers pushed the lead back out. Grove, Perry, and Brooke Ver Steeg added points down the stretch, but the Saints maintained control to lead 63-49 after three quarters.
 
For the third straight quarter, UMM scored first, this time with a Ver Steeg layup assisted by Perry after a steal. The teams traded points throughout the fourth, with neither side producing a run larger than five. Mortenson scored in the paint, followed by an Itzel Salazar three-pointer, but the comeback effort fell short as Minnesota Morris dropped the contest 84-68.
 
Grove led the Cougars with 17 points, followed by Klarenbeek and Myers with 10 each. Ver Steeg and Stark added nine and eight, respectively. Perry paced the team with three assists.
 
Defensively, Klarenbeek grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, just one shy of a double-double. The Cougars recorded 11 steals, with Perry accounting for five. Stark had the team's only block.
 
The Cougars will have their home opener on Monday as they host Macalester College at 7 p.m.