Des Moines Register

DES MOINES — A big second-half surge and career-highs from Abbie Aalsma and Grace Knutson weren’t quite enough as the Drake women’s basketball team lost for the first time this season, 83-74 to Creighton at the Knapp Center on Nov. 9.

Trailing by as many as 14 points, the Bulldogs (1-1) twice got to within four in the fourth quarter, but Creighton (1-1) countered each time to keep it from getting any closer.

Aalsma is taking on abigger role this season following the graduation of Katie Dinnebier, Anna Miller and Courtney Becker and has responded in a big way. She scored 23 points in this one, going 5-for-8 from 3-point range and shooting 8-for-13 overall.  This after she scored 22 in a season-opening victory at Eastern Illinois.

Knutson, a sophomore who averaged 2.4 points a game last season, added 20 points, also on 8-for-13 shooting. Recruited for her perimeter prowess, the 5-foot-10 guard drove the ball into the paint for all but one of her eight field goals and tacked on four rebounds and three assists.

Freshman Quinn Vice played a key role in Drake’s comeback and finished with 11 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Maggie Taylor led the Bulldogs with seven rebounds, while Ava Hawthorne had a team-best five assists to go with seven points and five rebounds.

Former UNI standout Grace Boffeli finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Creighton.

Drake will return to action on Nov. 13 when it faces Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.