DECATUR, Ga.—The North Park University Vikings pulled away in the second half to notch a 62-45 victory over Agnes Scott College at Woodruff Gymnasium on Friday. The Vikings held a three-point lead at halftime but nearly matched their first-half scoring total in the third period to put some distance between the two sides.
First-year Briana Holland (Austell, Ga.) had a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers in the game, while also collecting seven boards. Matti Zander (Wheaton, Ill.) and Jayla Johnson (Wheaton, Ill.) each piled up 16 points for the visitors.
The scoreboard remained quiet for much of the first quarter as both teams struggled to get anything going on offense in their first games back from the holiday break. Garis Grant (Charleston, S.C.) made one of two free throws on the opening possession of the game and the score remained 1-0 for the next five minutes of action.
Johnson finally broke the stalemate in the sixth minute of regulation with a pair of made free throws before Holland dipped in a fastbreak layup on the other end. Agnes was able to push the lead to 7-2 with under three to go in the first period until the Vikings cobbled together enough offense to take a 9-8 advantage into the second quarter.
North Park began the second on an 8-1 run as the Scotties searched for someone to take the lead on the offensive end. Holland became that force in the second quarter as the point guard kept the Scotties within striking distance with a fearless approach around the rim. She finished with a team-high eight points in the second quarter and 13 for the first half as Agnes Scott erased a nine-point deficit to trail only 27-24 at the half.
Leading 40-35 with 4:14 remaining in the third, North Park used a series of Scottie miscues to tilt the game in its favor for good. An old-fashioned three-point play from Jacki Rapp (DeKalb, Ill.) and a deep triple from Zander turned the game on its head in a matter of 20 seconds.
The Scotties would never get closer than nine points for the rest of regulation.
Josie Summerville (Adairsville, Ga.) had a nice game in front of family and friends with 19 rebounds in just 19 minutes for the Vikings. She also totaled three of North Park's seven blocks on the day.
Emma Olson (Austin, Texas) was the leading rebounder for the Scotties with 11, while Grant blocked a season-high nine shots in an otherwise quiet day for the junior.
Agnes Scott (0-11) heads out to Memphis for a Sunday matinee against Rhodes. North Park (6-6) heads over to Oglethorpe tomorrow for the final game of its Atlanta tour.