Contact: Rachel Balinao, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, rabalinao@noctrl.edu
 

APPLETON, Wis. (Nov. 14, 2025) - After a hard-fought battle on the road, the North Central College women's basketball team fell to Lawrence University, 75-65, on Friday night, Nov. 14, bringing the Cardinals to 2-1 on the season.

Lawrence opened the scoring with a three-pointer before Biz Daly got the Cardinals on the board with a jumper to make it 2-3 early. After a brief scoring drought for North Central, Jocelyn Trotter provided a spark with a three-pointer, followed by a jumper for five quick points, cutting the deficit to 10-19. Natalie Doyle closed the first quarter strong, knocking down back–to-back threes to bring the Cardinals within 16-22.

Dolly Smith started the second quarter with a tough three-pointer to pull North Central within three, 19-22. Moments later, Grace Kieffer drilled a triple to tie it at 22-22. Lawrence responded with a 7-0 run as the Cardinals went scoreless for three minutes, falling behind 23-30. In the final seconds of the half, Cate Uhren swung the momentum back to North Central with consecutive threes, sending the game into halftime tied at 33-33.

Out of the break, Lawrence powered ahead, building a 17 point lead before Trotter stopped the run with a jumper. Uhren followed with another mid-range bucket to bring the score to 37-53 midway through the third.

Kieffer sparked the fourth quarter with another big three to bring the Cardinals to 44-59. Kennedy Hartwig ignited a late push with a pair of huge threes, while Trotter continued her relentless effort on the glass, finishing the night with eight rebounds, four being offensive, along with three steals. Daly's strong and-1 cut the deficit to nine, and Kieffer buried a massive three to make it a four point game as the Cardinals battled to the final buzzer. 

The Cardinals finished the night shooting 50% from beyond the arc and 39.3% from the field, while Lawrence controlled the paint at 51.9%. The Vikings outrebounded North Central 38-26, though the Cardinals held the edge in offensive rebounds. Lawrence was led by Kate Adams with 28 points. Trotter led North Central with 18 points, followed by Kieffer with 13, while Daly secured nine rebounds, eight of them being defensive.

North Central returns home on Nov. 14 to face Edgewood College at 2 p.m. inside Gregory Arena in Naperville, Ill., looking to avenge last year's close defeat.