Chicago, Ill. – The Carroll University women's basketball team were able to take a 10 point lead into halftime, but fell short in the final quarter against the North Park Vikings in Chicago on Wednesday, losing 65-70. Sierra Grubor led the team with 15 points and two steals. Kayla Stefka added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Alyssa Cruz dished out six assists to go along with eight points in her return.
 
The Pioneers (7-13, 3-9 CCIW) were plagued by two cold 3-12 FGM second and third quarters, to slow their momentum after the first quarter. The Pios were able to keep the Vikings out of the second quarter for their second matchup, holding them to only 6 points in the second 10 minutes of the contest. Both teams struggled to maintain ball possession tonight, with Carroll surrendering 26 turnovers, to North Park's 25. The Viking's 25 points off turnovers proved to be a difference maker. Foul trouble for the Pios gave the Vikings 32 looks at the free throw line, cashing in on 18 of them. The strong bench continued to shine, with Kate Christian and Megan Madsen adding six and five points, respectively, behind Stefka's 12.
 
The start of the first quarter went back and forth, with both teams making shots. The Pios began to pull away at the 3 minute mark, kicked off by a Grubor three-point play. A three ball from Stefka took the lead to six, but the Vikings were able to bring the lead down to five at the buzzer. After both teams went cold shooting in the second quarter, Grubor brought the lead to seven with 7:01 remaining in the first half. Christian knocked down a three with :07 seconds remaining in the second to bring the Pioneer lead up to 10, their largest of the game.
 
Missed shots and turnovers kept the Pioneers out of the third quarter, with the Vikings beginning a 8-2 run before head coach Lindsay Schultz called a timeout. Katie Evans and Brooke Foster tried to keep the lead intact with three pointers of their own, but North Park's hot shooting brought them to a lead of five going into the final quarter. Evans drained another three point basket to try to bring back the game, but North Park wouldn't go away, leading by as much as eight in the fourth. Grubor and Cruz contributed buckets in the final minute, but the foul game did not favor the Pioneers, falling late.
 
The women take a CCIW break this weekend, traveling up to Marian to fight it out with the Panthers. Stay up to date on Carroll women's basketball this season by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics).