Grace College Athletics

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. - Grace College's women's basketball fell to Olivet Nazarene on the final day of the Olivet Classic on Saturday afternoon.

Sperry led all players with 35 points in Grace 126-85 loss to the Tigers.

Sperry had the first five points of the game for Grace but ONU was on fire from beyond the arc. The Tigers had four 3-point field goals in the opening five minutes to build a 14-7 lead.

Braylin Terrell scored off an assist from Brooklyn Buzzard but Grace's defense could do little to slow ONU's surging offense. The Tigers went on an 11-0 run to take an 11-point lead. The Lancers trailed 32-13 after the first frame.

Cam Conley and Sperry started the frame with consecutive scores from beyond the arc, but the Tigers would extend their lead to 21 points.

Grace was plagued with turnovers and struggled to find any offensive rhythm while the Tigers were scoring at a nearly 50 percent clip.

ONU also enjoyed success on the glass with 11 offensive boards to fuel double digit second-chance points. At the halftime intermission the Tigers lead 64-33.

Kila Foster scored a 3-point field goal early in the third quarter and her sister Ellia Foster converted a fastbreak opportunity just moments later.                    

Grace shot 46 percent from the field in the frame but surrendered 37 points and trailed 98-56 entering the fourth quarter.

Cam Conley opened the final frame with a 3-point field goal but it was Sperry who highlighted the Lancers efforts. The junior was perfect from the field, including 4-4 from beyond the arc as she poured in 17 points in the quarter.              

The Lancers had their highest point-total of the game in the fourth quarter and outscored the Tigers 32-25 in the final frame.    

Sperry had a well balanced final line of 35 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Maddy Poynter had 11 points and Braylin Terrel had seven rebounds and two blocks.

Grace will return to action on November 18 against Taylor.