RedStorm women run past Mustangs

Rio Grande Sports Information
     BAYAMON, Puerto Rico - Already short the services of its second-leading scorer, the University of Rio Grande was forced to play the bulk of its opening game in the Puerto Rico Clasico without its best player.
     Still, the RedStorm found a way to bounce back against a perennial national tournament program.
     Head coach David Smalley's squad transformed an eight-point second quarter deficit into a double-digit fourth quarter lead and an eventual 73-65 triumph over Morningside (Iowa) University, Tuesday morning, in non-conference women's basketball play at Reuben Rodriguez Coliseum.
     Rio Grande, ranked No. 8 in the most recent NAIA coaches' Top 25 poll, improved to 9-1 with the win.
     The Mustangs slipped to 7-6 with the loss.
     Rio Grande, which continues to play without injured senior forward Lexi Woods (Waverly, OH) and her nearly-16 point per game average, also lost senior Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH) - who earned her fourth River States Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor on Monday - to injury with 3:46 remaining in the first half. She did not return.
     Morningside enjoyed its biggest lead of the day, 31-23, after a three-pointer by Alexis Spier with 7:31 left before halftime, but the RedStorm countered with an 18-2 run - culminated with a jumper by junior Marlee Grinstead (Albany, OH) with 17 seconds remaining - to take an eight-point advantage of their own.
     Darnell's departure came during Rio's go-ahead spurt.
     But the Mustangs refused to fold and eventually came back to take a 54-52 advantage on a jumper by Lily Vollertsen with 1:35 left in the third period.
     The lead didn't last long, though.
     Senior Marina Garcia Perez (Leon, Spain) drilled a pair of free throws with 45 seconds remaining in the stanza to give Rio a 56-55 edge and the RedStorm never trailed again.
     Two more Garcia Perez free throws with 6:32 left stretched the cushion to its largest point of the contest, 67-57, and Rio led by no less than five points the rest of the way.
     The RedStorm sealed the victory by going 3-for-4 at the free throw line in the final 22 seconds.
     Freshman Jasmine Jordan (Ashland, KY) had a team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds to go along with four steals in the winning effort, while fellow frosh Payton Johnson (Peebles, OH) had 15 points and Grinstead finished with 13 points, a career-high nine assists and a pair of blocked shots.
     Garcia Perez added seven points, seven rebounds and six steals in a season-high 33 minutes of action for Rio.
     The RedStorm grabbed the win despite shooting just 39 percent overall (24-for-61) and 68.8 percent from the foul line (22-for-32), while committing 20 turnovers.
     Morningside shot 40.6 percent overall (26-for-64), but hurt its own cause by going 9-for-13 at the foul line (69.2%), committing 25 turnovers and getting outrebounded 39-31.
     Sam Ehlers led the Mustangs with 16 points and six rebounds off the bench, while Spier had 11 points, six rebounds and four steals.
     Chaise Pfanstiel added seven assists in a losing cause.
     Rio Grande will return to action on Thursday night when it closes out the Clasico against Spring Arbor (Mich.) University. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.