MARQUETTE, MICH. – The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team (12-9, 7-4 GLIAC) took on the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (12-9, 7-5 GLIAC) in a tightly contested Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup where the Cardinals came out on top 46-43.
Tori DePerry led the way for SVSU with a double-double effort posting 21 points and 14 rebounds.
The first quarter was a story of trading buckets back and forth as Kaitlyn Zarycki opened the scoring for the Cardinals two minutes into the game. Lydia Meredith entered the game and made an instant impact with a steal. Tori DePerry was sent to the line with two minutes remaining to bring SVSU within one.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals kept it close with a solid defensive effort after trailing 16-26 midway through the period. SVSU then went on a 10-0 run to tie up the game thanks to an extraordinary effort from three seniors, Jessica Massey, Kaitlyn Zarycki, and Tori DePerry. The Cardinals would trail by one at halftime, 28-29.
To start the second half of the game, the Wildcats opened the scoring before Emma Dziezgowski hit a three to give the Cardinals their first lead of the half 32-31. Northern Michigan would answer that three-point basket with a 5-0 of their own into the first media timeout of the third quarter. For the rest of the period, it would be a defensive battle where Zarycki would make the only remaining bucket on a layup with 25 seconds remaining leaving SVSU trailing 36-39.
The fourth quarter of the game started with a layup from Tyler Scheid to bring the Cardinals within one point and a steal by Jessica Massey would allow for a downtown bucket from DePerry. SVSU would go on a defensive tear for the remainder of the game holding the Wildcats to only four points in the fourth quarter.
This win puts the Cardinals tied with Northern Michigan at the four seed in the GLIAC.
UP NEXT
The Cardinal women's team takes on the Michigan Tech University Huskies on Saturday, February 4th in another crucial GLIAC matchup. The Cardinals look to even the series against the Huskies, losing the previous contest 69-53.