RedStorm snaps slide, blasts Pioneers

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Marlee Grinstead scored a season-high 17 points to lead seven double-digit scorers for the University of Rio Grande in a 113-84 rout of Point Park University, Tuesday night, in River States Conference women's basketball action at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     Rio Grande, ranked No. 7 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll, upped its record to 8-2 overall and 2-0 in league play, snapping a two-game losing streak in the process.
     Point Park dropped to 4-3 overall and 0-1 in the RSC with a third straight loss.
     The Pioneers forged a 2-2 tie inside the game's opening 30 seconds, but played from behind the rest of the night as Rio Grande built a 20-point lead late in the first half before settling on a 60-43 cushion at the intermission.
     The RedStorm led by no less than 16 points and by as many as 30 points over the game's final 20 minutes.
     Grinstead, a sophomore from Albany, Ohio, scored 10 of her 17 points in the second half and did the bulk of her damage at the foul line by going 10-for-11.
     Junior Kaylee Darnell (Wheelersburg, OH) had another well-rounded outing for Rio with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, while fellow junior Marina Garcia Perez (Leon, Spain) had 15 points of her own on 7-of-8 shooting. Garcia Perez also handed out six assists and had three steals.
     Junior Harlei Antritt (Newark, OH) tied a season-high with 14 points, while senior Reagan Willingham (Ashville, OH) tossed in 14 points of her own and the duo of senior Aleea Crites (Parkersburg, WV) and Lexi Woods (Waverly, OH) had 10 points each.
     Woods also had a team-best nine rebounds, while junior Azyiah Williams (Ripley, OH) had a game-high nine assists to go along with a trio of steals.
     Rio Grande finished 42-for-77 from the floor (54.5%) and 26-for-32 from the free throw line (81.3%), while committing just 11 turnovers.
     Point Park shot 39 percent overall (30-for-77), but hit just four of its 20 three-point tries (20.0%) and 20 of its 33 free throw attempts (60.6%).
     Ari Bleda had a game- and season-high 26 points in a losing cause, while also pulling down seven rebounds and collecting a pair of steals.
     Gabriella Legister had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Pioneers, while Aichata Ballo had a career-high 15 points and a team-best six assists off the bench.
     Gillian Piccolino completed Point Park's double-digit quartet with 13 points.
     Emma Pavelek, who averaged just under 11 points per game entering the contest, went just 1-for-7 from the field and was limited to just seven points - five of which came in the final quarter after the final outcome had long since been decided.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Ohio Christian University for another RSC contest.
     Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Maxwell Center in Circleville.