GRINNELL, Iowa – A critical 8-0 run early in the second period put the Grinnell College women's basketball team in a hole which it couldn't quite climb out of in Sunday afternoon's home contest against Knox College.
 
The Prairie Fire's spurt expanded a two-point lead into a 10-point edge on their way to a 74-60 win at Darby Gymnasium.
 
The Pioneers (5-8, 2-4 Midwest Conference), who shot just 29.9 percent from the field, featured a balanced scoring attack led by Erin Lillis' '24 with nine points. Nicole Ware '25, Payton Hall '25 and Grace Marsh '25 all had eight points, with Marsh's being a career-high.
 
Aidan Coalson '22 was strong underneath, grabbing 10 boards to go alone with two blocked shots. Lillis contributed three assists and two steals.
 
Grinnell fell behind 4-1 right off the bat, but Aiyana Rockwell '24 made a free throw and Payton Hall '25 drained a 3-pointer to give the hosts their lone lead at 5-4.
 
The Prairie Fire (3-9, 1-3 MWC) followed with a 12-2 run to build a 16-7 lead and were up 17-12 at the end of the period.
 
Grinnell used a 5-0 run early in the second period to close within two points. Trailing 19-12, Sara Booher '25 scored in the paint and Rockwell converted a traditional three-point play to make it a 19-17 game.
 
But the visitors answered with their key eight-point run and led 39-29 at halftime. They stretched the cushion to 55-37 by the end of three periods