GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Blackburn College Women's Basketball travelled to Michigan for two nonconfernce matchups to start the season and came back home with a split.
The Beavers opened the season at Great Lakes Christian College Friday evening but fell to the Crusaders 83-59. They responded by defeating Kuyper College 70-59 Saturday afternoon.
Leading the team was freshman Kailynn Kruep, who 16 points in each game along with five assist and averaged 8.5 rebounds for the weekend.
On Saturday, BC started strong with a 6-2 run to open the game, powered with two baskets from freshman Ella Wilson, and one from freshman Gracie Jent. However, the team faced a 38-31 halftime deficit, but rallied in the second half to outscore Kuyper 39-21 to capture their first victory of the season. Sophomore Caidy Tuetken opened the third quarter with a layup which senior Elizabeth Morris followed with two baskets to quickly make it 38-37 just two minutes into the frame. After trading baskets, the Cougars pushed out to a 44-39 lead, but the Beavers tied it at 44-44 with four minutes left in the quarter with a basket from junior Ashanti Jones and a three from Morris. The hosts answered with two free throws but Kruep knocked in a three to give Blackburn their first lead since they led 8-7 with 5:33 left in the first quarter. Kuyper managed two more baskets to capture the lead back, 50-47, but back to back baskets from Tuetken gave the Beavers a 51-50 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Kuyper started the final quarter with to scores to move to 54-51 before freshman Becca Benoit tied with a free throw and then a basket. A Kruep basket and layup from freshman Wilson sandwiched a Kuyper score, and another bucket from Morris gave Blackburn a 60-56 lead with 3:51 left in the game. After a Cougar basket made it 60-58, BC responded with jumpers from Jones, Morris and Kruep to move the Blackburn lead to 66-58 with 46 seconds remaining. Kuyper scored a free throw with 14 seconds left, which Jones and Kruep answered with two free throws each to give Blackburn the 70-59 win.
In the game, Kruep led the team with 16 points along with nine rebounds and five assists while junior Miley Kwiatkowski knocked in four three-pointers in the first half for 12 points. Morris added 11 points and seven rebounds with Jones chipping in eight points, eight assists and six rebounds. Tuetken tallied eight points and two steals.
In Friday's opener, Blackburn jumped out to a 6-2 lead behind baskets from took the lead twice in the first quarter, but was unable to hold on. Blackburn managed to keep the game close as the Beavers faced just a seven point deficit. However, Great Lakes, who was playing in their sixth game of the season managed to capitalize on their experience and took advantage of Blackburn foul trouble to eventually pull to the 83-59 win. Kruep again led the Beavers with 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists. Jones posted nine points with Tuetken and Kwiatkowski added eight each. Benoit and Wilson both snagged eight rebounds in the effort.
Blackburn, 1-1 returns to action Tuesday as they host Maranatha Baptist University at 5 p.m. The team encourages all fans to wear white as the team looks to white out the gym for their home opener.