The Valparaiso Vikings's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their third straight loss. They fell 62-55 to Norwell. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Valparaiso's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Lillian Barnes, who almost dropped a triple-double on 15 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. The game was Barnes' tenth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Becca Gerdt, who scored 13 points along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Valparaiso's defeat dropped their record down to 10-5. As for Norwell, they are on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 12 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 12-4 record this season.
Valparaiso will be playing at home against Lawrence North at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Lawrence North presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Valparaiso in Indiana (Lawrence North is ranked third, while Valparaiso is ranked 43rd). As for Norwell, they will head out on the road to face off against Carroll at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
