Storm can't maintain early lead, fall at Luther

DECORAH, Iowa - The Simpson women's basketball team led for nearly the entire first half, but a late second quarter surge from a Luther team that went on to hit 10 3-pointers proved to be too much as the Storm fell 71-59 on Wednesday night.

Noreen Morrow posted her 14th double-digit scoring performance with 19 points to go along with eight rebounds and Mackenzie Haupt poured in 16 in the loss for the Storm (13-9, 6-5 Iowa Conference).

In control early, Simpson jumped out to a 10-2 lead at the 6:38 mark in the first quarter thanks to a quick six points from Morrow. Simpson clung to a 22-16 advantage at the end of the first but a 22-10 spurt in the second quarter allowed Luther to lead 38-32 at the break.

Simpson didn't trail until Moran Lonning and Katie Waller hit back-to-back 3-pointers to go up 31-30 at the 1:59 mark in the second quarter, a lead the Norse (17-5, 9-2) would never relinquish.

The Norse's lead was cut to one two different times by the Storm in the third quarter, the last time being 47-46 with 3:13 left to go in the third. Simpson couldn't get going behind an offense that shot just 32.3 percent in the second, though, well off its 46.2 clip in the first half.

Luther's guard play helped make up for a dominating performance by Simpson in the paint. The Storm outscored the Norse 30-6 in the lane although all three of Luther's starting guards scored in double-figures, led by Kylie Romeo's 19. Tayler Jenks had 15 and Lonning added 13.

Katie Ahrenholtz chipped in with seven off the bench and Britney Boland pulled down eight rebounds.

Up next
Simpson plays host to Coe on Saturday, Feb. 13 with a 2 p.m. tip-off from Cowles Fieldhouse. The Kohawks (13-9, 4-7) were tripped up in a 94-89 loss at Dubuque on Wednesday.