Warner, Wall Lead Scots to Sweep of Grinnell

Monmouth now in tie for 2nd place in MWC

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/06/2022) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team made it two wins in two days against Grinnell College with a 66-49 home win on Sunday. The win moves the Scots (11-6, 8-3) into a tie for second place in the Midwest Conference.

Grinnell got off to a 4-0 lead before Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa) scored in the lane for Monmouth. Warner had the first six for the Scots before Kaitlyn Osmulski (Peoria, Illinois) scored on an out of bounds play for an 8-7 Monmouth lead.

Both teams took leads throughout the quarter with Grinnell going on top 18-15 with a 3-pointer. Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) split free throws and the quarter ended with the Pioneers leading 18-16.

Warner scored to start the half, tying the game at 18. After a defensive stand, Josie Morgan (Washington, Illinois) swished a 3-pointer to give the Scots a 21-18 lead. Osmulski got a steal and set up Zoie Wall (Peoria, Illinois) for a 3-pointer and a six-point lead. The Pioneers used a 7-0 run to regain the lead at 25-24.

WIth Grinnell up 27-24, Warner scored on a fast-break layup. Grinnell answered before Wall hit another 3-pointer to tie the game at 29. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) split free throws to put Monmouth up 30-29 and neither team scored for the next two minutes.

Osmulski got a layup on an out of bounds play for a 32-29 lead and Warner's layup put Monmouth up five. Osmulski scored on the last play of the half as well to cap a 10-0 run and put the Scots up 36-29 at the break. Warner led the way in the first half with 14 points while Wall had 11.

Jordan Kintigh (Goshen, Indiana) got her first basket of the game to start the second half before a 4-0 run from Grinnell cut the Scots lead to 38-33. Grinnell got to within four before Kintigh got another bucket for a 44-38 lead. Grinnell used a 5-1 run to get within two and then tied the game at the free throw line.

Wall hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to give the Scots a 48-45 lead. With the lead at one, Warner made a 3-pointer from the wing with 45 seconds left in the quarter. Neither team scored on their final possession of the quarter and Monmouth took a 51-47 lead into the fourth.

Buckets from Warner and Morgan pushed the lead to eight and Warner scored again for a 57-47 Monmouth lead. Monmouth held Grinnell without a field goal for more than a quarter, pushing the lead to 59-47 before the Pioneers got a layup with 4:23 to play.

Mitchell made a circus layup while getting fouled. Her free throw put the Scots up 62-49 before Kintigh scored on two straight possessions for a 17-point lead. Biancha Luna (Monmouth, Illinois) scored the final bucket of the game for a 68-49 win.

Warner finished with 21 points while Wall had 19. Morgan led the Scots with nine rebounds while also adding seven points and four assists. Kintigh had eight points and seven rebounds while Osmulski had seven points and three steals.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Wall set a new career-high with 19 pointsShe had 18 against IC in DecemberMorgan had a career-high nine rebounds after grabbing eight at Grinnell on SaturdayWarner has been in double digits in two of the last four gamesThe Scots swept the season series against GrinnellMonmouth won the turnover battle 17-6 and the rebound battle 34-32The next game is Wednesday nigh