MIDLAND, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team defeated Northwood University, 56-48 today (Feb. 15), snapping a nine game losing streak to the Timberwolves. Cardinals improve to 6-17 overall on the season and 4-12 in the GLIAC with the win, while Northwood falls to 10-13 on the season and 5-11 in the conference.
Saginaw Valley came out of the gate strong, taking a quick six point lead over the Timberwolves. Northwood would respond with its own run, taking a 21-11 lead over the Cardinals at the 6:28 mark of the first half.
Meijer "Player of the Game" Samantha Zirzow (Goodrich, Mich.) would cut the Timberwolves lead to six at the 2:15 mark of the first half after converting two free throws. Zirzow led the way for the Cardinals scoring 12 of her 17 points in the first half of play, while sophomore Kayla Womack (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) pulled down 11 rebounds.
The Timberwolves would take a 27-19 lead into the locker room.
Saginaw Valley trailed by as many as 15 points in the early stages of the second half, but were able to strike a comeback that was keyed by an offensive put back by freshman Hannah Bach (Kingsley, Mich./Kingsley Area HS) at the 14:08 mark. Bach would also pull down a huge offensive rebound later in the half that Kristen Greene (Brown City, Mich.) was able to eventually lay in to tie the game at 43.
The Cardinals would complete the comeback and take the lead for good when junior Aysha Boston (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) stripped the ball from Northwood's Gabrielle Rivette and converted a layup on the opposite end of the court, giving SVSU a 45-43 lead over the Timberwolves.
Northwood scored with just eight seconds left in the contest, but it would not be enough as the Cardinals defeated the Timberwolves 56-48 for the first time since Feb. 10, 2007 by the same score.
Greene scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half, while Womack added eight points for Saginaw Valley.
The Cardinals will be back in action on Saturday (Feb. 18), when they return to James E. O'Neill Arena for their final home game of the season against Hillsdale. The game will be in conjunction with the "Pink Wave" Breast Cancer Survivor event. Tipoff is slated for 5:00 pm.
