News Release

PELLA, Iowa — Charging back from an early 12-2 hole, the Central College women’s basketball team recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season, edging Cornell College 88-85.

Six players cracked double figures for the Dutch (4-16 overall, 4-9 Iowa Conference), who knocked down 12 three-point goals in 24 tries in avenging an 83-53 thrashing by the Rams Jan. 27. Guard Morgan Martin topped the charts with 18, guard Laura Porter added 15 with six assists and guard Erin Benson came off the bench to score 13 with a season-high 10 rebounds. Center Ashley Nekola had 12 points and six boards, forward Emily De Jong had 11 points, hitting three three-point buckets and guard Emily Conway had 10 points and three assists.

Cornell center Katie Morris had a game-high 25 points and seven boards. The Rams tumbled to 6-14 overall and 4-9 in the league.

After the early deficit Central went on a 22-7 burst to grab a 24-19 lead and the Dutch were up 38-37 at intermission. The Dutch shot 53.3 percent from the field in the second half, including a red-hot 60 percent from beyond the arc (6-10), and led by as many as seven points. But Cornell closed the gap to 86-85 with eight seconds remaining. De Jong then sank two free throws with two seconds left and a desperation three-point try by Cornell’s Brianna Wallace missed the mark.

Central is home again Tuesday, taking on Luther College in a 6 p.m. women’s-men’s doubleheader. The Norse breezed past Central at Decorah Jan. 18 77-52.