Pearson erupts for 23 in Raiders' first win

A stifling Central Lakes College Raiders defense held the Fergus Falls Spartans to 23 percent shooting and led to a 65-59 victory Friday on the first day of the Central Lakes Winter Classic.

CLC's Cassie Pearson led all scorers with 23 points. Brittany Gravelle scored 14 points and Trisha Wippler added eight points and 13 rebounds in the Raiders first win of the season.

"The last time we played them we lost by eight and tonight we beat them by six so that's a pretty good turnaround," said Raiders coach Dennis Eastman. "We played a lot better defense in this game. We held them to 21 percent in the first half and I thought they were going to come out and shoot 40 to 35 percent in the second half, but we held them to 26. That was a big difference."

Fergus Falls 30 29 - 59

Central Lakes 36 29 - 65

MSTC FERGUS FALLS

Emily Johnson 8, Abby Wolden 5, Kelsey Steidl 4, Jess Amann 5, Denise Ripplinger 2, Maria Lindberg 5, Whitney Moore 14, Kelsey Draper 8, Whitney Swenson 8. 3-point baskets: 5 (Johnson 2, Amann, Moore, Wolden).

CENTRAL LAKES

Cassie Pearson 23, Carissa Utsch 3, Brittany Gravelle 14, Trisha Wippler 8, Carlee Davich 8, Alicia Johnson 2, Caitlin Kavanaugh 5. FG 21-53 (39 percent), FT 17-25 (68 percent), 3-point baskets: 6-19 (Gravelle 2, Utsch 2, Kavanaugh 1, Davich 2). Overall: 1-9. Next: hosts Ridgewater 6 p.m. Saturday.