Slow Start Stings Inferno In Loss To Yellowjackets

MILWAUKEE -- It took 8 minutes, 20 seconds for Alverno College to score its first points of the game and the Inferno could not recover from the early 15-3 deficit in a 55-34 nonconference loss to visiting University of Wisconsin-Superior Sunday afternoon in Reiman Gymnasium.

Alverno (6-6) cut to the lead to 32-20 on a Devon Gorman layup early in the second half, but was unable to shrink the spread to less than 12 as the Yellowjackets (10-2) picked up their sixth-straight win.

The host Inferno had plenty of opportunities at the foul line to keep the game within reach, but shot a miserable 7-for-16 -- which included a number of bonus attempts -- from the line. The team did not shoot any better from the floor as it connected for just 22 percent of its attempts, while UW-Superior connected on 45 percent of its tries.

Gorman and Kristen Speerschneider led the Inferno with nine points apiece, but combined to shoot just 6-for-25 from the floor and 4-for-10 from the free-throw line. Gorman helped the Inferno keep pace on the boards with a game-high 10 rebounds, but the Yellowjackets held the slight edge, 41-40.

Junior guard Ashley Berry shot a solid 50 percent (3-for-6) and chipped in six points.

Sally Linzmeier led UW-Superior's balanced attack with 10 points and seven rebounds.

The game was the Inferno's last non-league game of the season, as it restarts Northern Athletics Conference play with three-straight home games. The homestand begins on Thursday, Jan. 3, versus Concordia University Chicago at 7 p.m. in Reiman Gymnasium.