South Bend, IN – Alma College Women's Basketball hit the road for their final road game of the regular season on Saturday. A shorthanded Alma team took the best punches that the Belles had, and pulled out a 78-63 victory.
 
Alma, without a pair of it's regular starters, welcomed Taylor Cleveland and Cadence Kaminske into the lineup to make their first career starts. Alma raced out toa first quarter lead. The Scots opened on a 13-6 run, only for the Belles to slowly claw their way back into the game. Despite all of SMC's efforts, Alma never trailed in the opening quarter, and rode balanced defense to a 23-20 lead at the break.
 
The offenses got off to a slow start in the second quarter. Alma held their opponents at arm's length, until 3 straight makes from the field allowed a 9-point gap to open up, which was pushed to 10 by a Taylor Sas free throw at 3:06. Alma took Saint Mary's best punches, walking into the locker room up 7.
 
The Belles pushed hard to stay in the game in the second half. The lead was cut to 3 at the halfway point of the third, but a 9-2 run from Alma was the answer, ballooning the lead back up to 10. The advantage would hold until the end of the third quarter, 56-46.
 
Alma had a steady scoring presence in the final period. Alma pushed the lead as high as 18, with the Belles pulling it down to it's final resting value of 15. Alma also stepped up defensively, holding SMC to just 26% from the floor in the 4^th.
 
Taylor Sas (20 Points, 9 Rebounds) Molly Duerloo (12 Points, 9 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Blocks) and Megan Leslie (13 Points, 5 Rebounds)
 
Alma moves to 11-12 and 7-7 in MIAA play. The Scots end with a pair of home games next week, the first being Kalamazoo on Wednesday.