CHICAGO, Ill. -- The Vikings matched up with the Elmhurst Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, emerging with a 53-41 victory. North Park moves to 3-2 in CCIW play with the win and now sits at 7-7 overall for the 2022-2023 season. 

Defense was the theme of today's contest, with both sides winding up under 30% from the floor. The Vikings felt the brunt of that through the opening three quarters as the offense sputtered to a 12-50 shooting mark, going 5-12 from the charity stripe. North Park refused to let offensive struggles carry over onto the other end of the court though. The Vikings reciprocated pressure to the Blue Jays offense and managed to keep within reach despite the poor shooting night. Trailing by 8 entering the 4th quarter, North Park flipped a switch which Elmhurst had no answer for. 

With the score at 31-39, the Vikings went on to score 22 points over the game's final frame while holding Elmhurst to just one made field goal. While the 4th was a great rebound for the North Park offense, it was the Vikings' defense that stood out by wreaking havoc with 11 steals in the half. Esther Miller swiped 6 of them in addition to 2 steals she corralled in the 1st half. With 8 steals, Miller takes second place in the Vikings record book alongside teammate Chantel Hairston who notched 8 against Dominican earlier this season. 

Quick Hits:

• Miller finished with 12 points and 8 steals, narrowly missing out on a rare breed of double-double
• Leading the Vikings in scoring was Victoria Perry with 22 points, including a 9-10 performance from the free throw line
• The Vikings only other double-digit scorer was Chantel Hairston. She finished with 10 points and one-upped that mark with 11 rebounds to secure a double-double. 

What's Next?

Following the win, the Vikings next take the court again on Wednesday, January 11th when they travel out to Wheaton to face the Thunder. The two sides - both standing at 3-2 in the CCIW - are set to tip off at 7:00 P.M. CST.