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HANCOCK -- There is an old saying in sports that a win is a win.
Such was the case Thursday afternoon at Paavo Nurmi Center when the Finlandia Lions women’s basketball team earned a 75-44 victory over visiting Great Lakes Christian.
For the Lions, the victory over the Crusaders was the first of their season.
"I told the girls that we’re going to take this one," Lions coach Mariah LaPointe-Dunham said. "We played well and did some good things. Great Lakes Christian is more a team in our class, and we have to take notice that we have to play at the same intensity level, whether it’s a Calvin College or Hope College, or a Great Lakes Christian."
Making the biggest impact for Finlandia was newcomer Mariah Austin, a transfer from Lakeland College.
Austin, an Ishpeming High product, poured in a game-high 25 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Her coach said that Austin is bound to help the program out in the future.
"She (Austin) is a good solid player," LaPointe-Dunham said. "She was one of my AAU players a couple of years ago. When she said she wanted to play here, I was more than happy to welcome her."
As for the game, the seven-member Crusaders managed to hang around for more than a half.
"I think Finlandia just wore us down," Crusaders coach Lynell McCrary said. "And when we lost two players on fouls in the second half, it really made it difficult."
Fueled by Austin’s all-around play and some help from Hancock alumni Molly Berg and Taylor Pertile, the locals took control in the third quarter.
Finlandia expanded a 39-30 margin at the halftime break into a 62-40 cushion after three frames.
Berg, the 5-foot-2 whirlwind guard, contributed ten points, six assists and four steals. Pertile was good for nine points.
"Those two Hancock kids (Berg and Pertile) play hard all the time," LaPointe-Dunham said.
Gerlinda Dervil topped Great Lakes Christian with 11 points and had 10 rebounds. Mystic Striker added 10 points.
Finlandia will host Silver Lake Sunday in a 1 p.m. contest.
GREAT LAKES CHRISTIAN -- Dervil 11, Striker 10, Johnson 7, Brewster 4, Seay 5, Shotwell 6 . FG: 17-56; FT: 9-17; Rebounds: 46 (Dervil 10); 3-point FG: Dervil 1.
FINLANDIA -- Berg 10, Pertile 9, Lundeen 6, Froberg 4, Austin 25, Loman 2, Makela 4, Ritchie 5, Faccio 4, Nagy 4, Taylor 2. FG: 24-73; FT: 22-30; Rebounds: 50 (Austin 17). 3-point FG: Austin 2, Nagy 1, Pertile 1, Ritchie 1.
Halftime score: FU 39, GLC 30.