WHEATON, Ill. -- The Vikings women's basketball team matched up with the Wheaton Thunder on Wednesday evening for their sixth conference matchup of the 2022-2023 season. Despite a valiant comeback attempt by North Park, who at one point trailed by 18, Wheaton managed to hold on to the lead and claim eventual victory. With the loss, the Vikings move to .500 in the CCIW which ties them for fifth place with Carthage.
A poor start dug the Vikings a deep hole early on, shooting just 25% in the first quarter to Wheaton's mark of 60%. The Thunder took early control of the possession battle and leveraged it into 13 combined points off of turnovers and offensive rebounds. The Vikings managed 13 points total, creating a 15-point deficit after one period. A Wheaton three-pointer extended that lead to a game-high of 18 to start the second quarter, but North Park would soon turn the game on its head with a strong finish before halftime. Trailing 19-34 with just over six minutes to go, the Vikings closed the quarter out with a 15-6 run to get back within 6 points to start the second half.
The Vikings continued to chip away at the Wheaton lead in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 1 point on multiple occasions. Unlike the first half, which was predicated on big runs from both sides, the third quarter was a back-and-forth in which the Wheaton lead never exceeded 5 points. However, the Thunder were able to re-establish some momentum in the fourth. Both sides got off to slow starts offensively, combining for just 7 points through the first five minutes of the quarter, but Wheaton was responsible for 6 of those. That run represented a 9-point Thunder lead with half the quarter left to play. North Park responded with a 10-4 run of their own, getting back within one possession after free throws from Aaliyah Parker-Fox, but that was as close as the comeback effort would get. Wheaton held on to their lead through the final minutes and closed out the game at a score of 68-75.
The Vikings operated a balanced attack on offense that saw 4 players in double-figures, led by Victoria Perry's 15. Rounding off that group was Kathryn Keehn, Chantel Hairston, and Elisha Dunlap. North Park experienced a hot-and-cold shooting night with a 35.2% field goal percentage overall, but the Vikings shot it well from deep with a 5-13 performance. Keehn led the charge with a 2-3 night from deep, while Hairston, Dunlap, and Aaliyah Parker-Fox went 1-1.
What's Next?
The Vikings have the chance to move back over .500 in conference play this Saturday in a matchup with the Carroll Pioneers. North Park will host the contest at 2:00 P.M., with the Vikings and Pioneers men's sides facing off afterwards.
