RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Sophia Jonas had a career-high 26 points, including six three pointers, but the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (2-1) dropped an 82-75 road decision to UW-River Falls (2-1) in nonconference play.

In the offensive shootout, the Bennies battled back from an 11-point deficit to take the lead after three quarters at 62-61. Down 75-68 in the fourth quarter, Jonas keyed a 7-0 run with five straight points for a tie in the final minute. However, the Falcons closed the game on a 7-0 run to take the victory.  

CSB, which will play Saint Mary's to open MIAC play on November 29 in Winona, Minn., was led by Jonas, who scored a career-high in points (26) for the second time in three games. Against UW-River Falls, she hit 9-of-18 field goals and tied her career-high with six made triples in 11 attempts. She had a season-high four rebounds with two assists and a steal in 39 minutes. Jonas, who is the reigning MIAC Player of the Week, has scored 25, 22 and 26 points in three games to open the season and has six made three-pointers twice in three games. Jonas, who ranked 16^th in DIII in made threes coming into the game, now has 16 (38 attempts, 42.1 percent) on the season and 144 career triples. With that total, the junior guard, who is averaging 24.3 points per game, has moved to fifth on CSB's career three-point list and past Sidney Schiffler, 140, 2016-20; and Kelly Mahlum, 142, 1989-93, and has done it in just 55 games.

Jonas was one of three Bennies in double digits as senior forward Lydia Hay had season-highs with 13 points and nine rebounds along with an assist and a steal. Hay now has 11 double-digit scoring games in her career. Sophomore forward Kira Young recorded her second double-digit game of the season by adding 10 points and six rebounds with three assists. Sophomore forward  Morgan Chmielewski had a career-high nine points (six points, Gustavus Adolphus, 2/24/23) on 4-of-5 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three-point range. She also supplied three rebounds and a steal. Sophomore guard Megan Morgan added eight points.

Overall, the Bennies made 30-of-64 field goals for 46.9 percent, including 10-of-28 for 35.7 percent from three-point range. UW-River Falls, which was led 22 points from Karleigh Creasey, hit 32-of-64 from the field for 50 percent and made 10-of-18 for 55.6 percent from three-point range. The Falcons won the rebound battle, 39-to-28, had a 40-to-38 advantage of points in the paint and a 14-to-12 margin in points off turnovers.

First Quarter Summary – Chmielewski helps Bennies stay close
Saint Benedict opened quickly but ran into some shooting woes in the first quarter. Hay opened the game by hitting her first triple of the season followed by Carla Meyer's layup and offensive rebound and put back by Young as CSB led, 7-2, at the 8:12 mark. However, the Bennies fell into a 4:41 scoring drought as the Falcons, which hit 8-of-15 shots included both their threes in the quarter, responded with a 16-2 run for an 18-9 lead after a basket by Olivia Miron. Then, CSB closed the quarter on a 6-0 run with a pair of baskets by Chmielewski and one by Meyer to draw within, 18-15 at the break. CSB, which had a 10-9 rebound edge, hit just 7-of-19 field goals for 36.8 percent and made just 1-of-7 triples.

Second-Quarter Summary – Jonas scores nine to lead CSB 
UW-RF outscored CSB 25-21 to grab a 43-36 lead at the halftime break. The Falcons used 56.3 percent (18-of-32 on field goals) shooting in the half, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, to build as much as an 11-point lead. In the second quarter, UW-RF hit 10-of-17 for 56.8 from field as the Falcons extended the lead. Early in the second period at 8:48 to play, Jonas, who had nine points in the quarter, helped CSB stay close. After Jonas converted a three-point play the Bennies drew even at 20-20. The Falcons responded with an 11-0 run, including a three-point play by Creasey, for the 31-20 advantage. After a timeout, CSB's Jonas had a triple to help the Bennies pull within 31-23 at the 5:53 mark.  Down, 35-25, the Bennies had a 7-2 run, including a three by Jonas and four points from Hay, to cut the deficit to 37-32 with 2:12 to play.   

3^rd Quarter Summary – Morgan, Hay, Young and Jonas help Bennies into 62-61 lead
With a lay-up from Morgan, the Bennies quickly cut the Falcons' lead to 45-43 at the 8:31 mark. But the Falcons responded with an 8-5 run for a 53-48. At 2:08 of the third quarter, Hay hit a lay-up followed by Morgan's three (1:27) to help CSB cut the margin to 59-57. After another UW-RF basket, Jonas hit a three to draw CSB's within, 61-60 and Young's basket in the closing seconds helped CSB take a 62-61 lead. CSB shot 57.9 percent from the field on 11-of-19 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, to outscore UW-River Falls, 26-to-18 for the lead.

Fourth Quarter – Falcons score final seven points to grab win
UW-River Falls, which hit 7-of-14 field goals for 50 percent (3-of-6 from three-point range) in the quarter, opened on an 8-2 run to take a 69-64 lead with 7:47 to play. Jonas responded by hitting a three at 5:57 to reduce the deficit to 70-68. Then, UW-RF had a 5-0 run for a 75-68 advantage at the 4:07 mark. Young began a 7-0 CSB run with a lay-up at 2:22. At 1:45 Jonas hit a three – her sixth of the game - to cut the lead to two and she then tied the game on a lay-up with a 1:06 on the clock. In the final minute, CSB was unable to answer UW-River Falls closing run of 7-0 as the Falcons won the 18th meeting all-time between the schools (CSB leads, 10-8).