Pride dominant in return to Heart play with 79-51 win over Grand View

DUBUQUE, Iowa - It was a an extremely efficient and balanced night for the Clarke University women's basketball team on Wednesday night as they earned a 79-51 win over Grand View University at the Kehl Cetner.

The Pride offense outscored Grand View in every quarter as they shot over 50 percent from the field at 52.4 percent, 40 percent from three point range at 41.7 percent, and over 70 percent from the free throw line at 72.7 percent as every player who scored for CU scored five or more points in the game. Defensively, Clarke held the Vikings to 27.3 percent (18-66) from the field and 20.0 (6-30) percent from three point range as the Pride outrebounded Grand View 53-30 with a 38-18 defensive rebounding advantage.

Clarke's balanced scoring was led by five players in double figures behind a pair of 15-point performances from Nicole McDermott and Emma Kelchen as McDermott added a double-double with 11 rebounds while Kelchen grabbed six rebounds herself. Giana Michels had 13 points, three rebounds, and two steals, Taylor Haase had 12 points and two rebounds, and Mya Merschman scored 10 points while adding five assists and three rebounds.

CU started the 2022 calendar year a little shorthanded, missing Izzie Peterson who had started all but one game so far this season as Skylar Culbertson made her first start of the year to finish with eight rebounds and five assists over 28 minutes while attempting three shots from the field. Tina Ubl had a stat-stuffing night while coming just a point shy of being the sixth member of the Pride in double figures with nine points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists to round out the starting unit.

The remainder of the bench unit that saw action on Wednesday included a five-point, two-rebound performance from Lilly Schilling, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals from Hannah Ambrosy, a steal in four minutes from Anisha Vondenkamp, and three minutes on the floor for Jenna Blunt.

The Vikings were led offensively by 12 points off the bench from Isabel Gscheidle, as she shot 5-of-9 (55.6%) from the floor and went 2-for-5 from three point range. Shannon Pisney and Ella Larsen each scored nine points out of the starting lineup but Pisney was one of the individual members of the Grand View unit that struggled from the field, going 3-for-12 in the game.

Clarke women's basketball will remain home for their next two games, beginning with a Saturday matchup against MidAmerica Nazarene University for a 2 p.m. CT tip at the Kehl Center.