WINONA LAKE — In Grace’s opening game of the Bennigan’s Terry Polston Hoops for Hope, its women’s basketball team fell 76-65 to No. 21 Purdue Calumet Saturday. The 20th-ranked Lady Lancers (2-4) struggled to find their shooting touch throughout the evening, hitting just 39.7 percent of their attempts. The contest shifted the Peregrines’ direction midway into the first half. Grace led 20-16 when JoEllen Fickel scored off a turnover, but the team’s offense was silent for the next five minutes. While Grace’s offense sputtered, Purdue Calumet used a 14-0 run to open up a 30-20 lead, and they never trailed again. Grace trailed by six at the halftime break, and it came dangerously close to regaining the lead twice in the second half. Allison Kauffman’s basket brought Grace to within 45-42 with 13:32 to play, but the Peregrines quickly established a double-digit cushion over the next four minutes. Freshman Dariyan Morris then sparked the Lady Lancers’ final charge late in the contest, ripping ripped off 10 points in 2:10 of action, helping chop the Peregine’s advantage to 70-65 with 1:41 remaining. However, Purdue Calumet clinched the win at the free-throw line, making six free throws to pull away for the win. The Peregrines’ last field goal came with 6:24 to play. From that point on, Purdue Calumet scored its final 14 points from the free-throw line. Overall, the Peregrines had a 29-6 advantage in free throw attempts. Morris tied for team honors in points with 17. Juaneice Jackson also finished with 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Allison Kauffman had a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards, and Chloe Pridgen added 11 points and seven rebounds in her first career start. For Purdue Calumet, 2012 Tippecanoe Valley graduate Staci Groom saw two minutes of action, but didn’t record any stats. Grace will gear up for its second-straight Top-25 game t when it hosts No. 9 St. Xavier at 2 p.m. St. Xavier fell to No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan, the defending NAIA Division II national champions, 89-62, earlier Friday.
