(Peru, Neb.) – After a close first quarter, the Grand View women's basketball team started to pull away late in the second quarter in route to a 69-52 win over visiting Peru State Thursday night.
 
The Vikings improved to 12-11 on the year and are now 9-10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Peru State fell to 6-16 overall and are currently 4-15 in the Heart.
 
First Quarter Action
 
After Grand View scored the first bucket, Deandra Williams (Rosenberg, Texas) hit a bucket at the 7:47 mark to tie it. Williams followed with another bucket, this time on an assist from Abigail Niebrugge (Omaha) to give Peru State one of its few leads in the game. Grand View would lead 13-11 at the end of the first period.

 
Second Quarter Action
 
The Vikings would maintain their lead in the second quarter until Niebrugge would hit a trey off an assist from Williams. That would make the score 21-19 Peru State with 5:03 left in the half. Grand View would score the next five points and would never trail the rest of the contest. The Vikings built their lead to eight at halftime as they led 31-23.
 
Third Quarter Action
 
After Grand View scored the first bucket of the second half, Brooke Maeda (Honolulu) hit a three-pointer to make it 33-26 with 9:02 remaining in the stanza. That would be as close as the 'Cats would be ad the Vikings led 51-37 at the end of the quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
The Vikings would continue to pull away from the Bobcats in the final ten minutes and led by as many as 22 at 66-44 with just over two minutes remaining.

GRAND VIEW GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Neither team shot the ball very well as Grand View finished the game making 29 of 78 field goals for 37.2% which included making just 2 of 14 from behind the arc for 14.3%. At the charity stripe, the Vikings made 9 of 13 free throws for 69.2%. Peru State hit 20 of 68 field goals for 29.4% and were nearly as good from three-point range making 6 of 21 for 28.6%. The 'Cats made 6 of 10 free throws for 60%.
 
Grand View had a huge rebounding advantage as they grabbed 59 boards compared to 42 for Peru State. The Vikings nearly doubled up the 'Cats in assists as they finished with 19 while the Bobcats had ten. Peru State had 15 turnovers while Grand View had 13.
 
The Vikings blocked six shots while the 'Cats blocked three. Both teams finished with seven assists.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Williams finished the game with her seventh double-double of the season. She led the team with 11 points and grabbed 12 boards. Maeda had eight points while Jackie Beaugard (Omaha) finished with seven and Niebrugge six. Stevie Lone Dog (Mission, S.D.) added nine rebounds.
 
Maeda dished out three assists while Beaugard added two. Williams, Niebrugge, and Kiley Guerue (Morrill) each blocked one shot. Beaugard led the team with two steals.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will host Benedictine (Kan.) on Saturday at 2 p.m. which will feature the National Alumni Association's annual chili feed. The Ravens are 18-5 on the season having won 11 in a row and are 17-2 in conference play.
 
At halftime of both games on Saturday, the Fantastic Flyers of Gary's Tumbling in Glenwood, Iowa, will perform. Between games, the Bobcats will recognize their senior cheerleaders, women's basketball, and men's basketball players, followed by the recognition of the fall student-athlete honors.
 
Next Wednesday, Peru State will host Graceland (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m. The Yellowjackets are presently 4-18 on the year and are 4-15 in the Heart having lost their last four contests.
 
Between the games on Wednesday, the Johnson-Brock volleyball team will be recognized for their back-to-back state championships. At halftime of the men's game, the Auburn High School cheerleaders will be performing their state competition routine.