MONMOUTH, Ill. - Grinnell College's offense was firing on all cylinders Wednesday night as the Pioneers outdid Monmouth College 82-74 in Midwest Conference women's basketball action.
The Pioneers' point total was their highest since scoring 87 against Monmouth last January. Additionally, Grinnell's 30 second-quarter points were the fourth-highest total for a period in program history.
The victory not only snapped a five-game losing streak on the Fighting Scots' court, but was key for the Pioneers as they remained in the upper half of the MWC standings. Grinnell is now 5-3 in the MWC, keeping the Pioneers in third place, and 10-6 overall.
Grinnell's Erin Lillis '24 scored 23 points and had four steals, with the latter figure a team-high for the season. Nikki Ware '25 added 16 points, Grace Marsh '25 tallied 11 and Sara Booher '25 and Bailey Strovers '27 scored 10 apiece.
Booher, Strovers and Eva Carchidi '24 added seven rebounds apiece and Ware dished out four assists. Carolyn Pierce '27 contributed a career-high two steals.
With Wednesday's performance, Lillis moved up to 12th on Grinnell's career chart for made free throws with 211 and is 15th in steals with 95.
Grinnell found itself in an early seven-point hole before rebounding with a 10-3 run as Lillis and Carchidi made free throws, Lillis added a layup and Marsh drained a 3-pointer on Strovers' assist. Lillis followed with a free throw and Lillis added two more to tie the contest at 13-all.
Monmouth led 20-18 by the end of the first period, but Grinnell continued to hang close and gained a 48-47 halftime edge as Aiyana Rockwell '24 made a layup on Lillis' assist a few ticks before the buzzer.
Grinnell pulled ahead by as many as seven in the third quarter before taking a 67-63 lead into the final frame. Monmouth made numerous charges at the Pioneers in the final period, but every time the visitors responded. A key stretch midway through the quarter saw Ware convert a pair of layups to turn a four-point lead into a 78-70 cushion.
Monmouth never got closer than six points after that while dipping to 0-8 in the MWC and 2-15 in all games.
Grinnell will try to avenge an earlier loss to Ripon College this Saturday when the Red Hawks visit Darby Gymnasium. Tip-off is at 3 p.m.