ALBION, Mich. - Today the Calvin women's basketball team hit the road and traveled to Albion to take on the Brits. After a slow first quarter the Knights came alive and picked up the victory and moved to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in MIAA play.
 
It was a tight game from the start as both teams spent the first quarter trading leads and battling for momentum. Senior Valerie Dirkse (Vienna, Va./Marshall) and junior Anna Fernandez (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Christian Academy) opened the scoring for the Knights while Katelyn LaRue (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian), Jamie Custer (Galena, Ohio/Worthington Christian) and Lydia Sall (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) all chipped in a basket. 
 
With just under two minutes left in the quarter, Calvin took command of the game as freshman Gabby Halliwill (Charlotte, Mich./Lansing Catholic) and Fernandez each hit three-pointers to give the Knights an 18-12 lead.
 
In the second quarter the Knights showed off their defensive skills as they held the Brits to just a 33.3 shooting percentage, their lowest of the game. On the opposite end of the floor, the Knights posted their best shooting percentage of the game at 50.0 as they scored relentlessly. Chloe Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion) and Hannah Sall (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) each picked up their first baskets of the game and by the end of the second ten-minute period the Knights claimed a commanding 38-18.
 
In the second half the Knights continued to dominate both ends of the floor as they maintained their impressive lead. Eleven different players scored for the Knights as Calvin walked away with the 69-51 victory.
 
Calvin dominated the boards as it out rebounded the Brits 43-28 and scored 24 points after forcing 23 turnovers. The Knights also commanded the blocks as they scored 46 points in the paint and saw a massive 30-point contribution from their bench.
 
Fernandez finished her evening as Calvin's leading scorer with 18 points with Custer chipping in 10 points. Dirkse led the team in rebounds with 10 while Hannah Sall and Lydia Sall each recorded a block.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "Great win for our group tonight," said head coach Mark Christner. "Road wins in the league are hard to come by. We really had a complete effort after a bit of an uneven start. We had great contributions from our bench tonight and we'll need a complete group effort moving forward."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Saturday, January 18th when they return home to Van Noord Arena to take on Olivet at 1PM.