APPLETON, Wis. -- Lawrence University women's basketball star Kenya Earl posted a big double-double Wednesday as the Vikings battered Beloit College 60-48 in a Midwest Conference game at Alexander Gymnasium.
    Earl scored 28 points as she hit 11-of-19 shots from the floor and finished with 14 rebounds and four blocks. It was the 19th double-double of Earl's outstanding career.
    Rookie guard Maggie Culver added 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks for the Vikings (3-3, 1-0 MWC), who won their conference opener for the third time in the last four seasons.
    Elizabeth Kalk scored 25 points for Beloit (3-5, 0-1) as she heaved up 24 shots, and Kalk added a team-best 10 rebounds.
    Lawrence grabbed the lead at 16-15 on Earl's 3-pointer with 4:10 left in the second quarter. That was the start of a 12-0 run that gave the Vikings a 25-15 lead. Culver scored six points in that stretch and Lydia Lueck also drained a 3-pointer during the run.
    The Vikings led 25-18 at the half, and Lawrence went on a quick 7-1 outburst in the third quarter with Earl scoring six points in that stretch for a 36-23 lead. The Bucs were able to hang around and trimmed the lead to 38-30 heading to the fourth quarter.
    Earl got a conventional three-point play with 7:46 left in the game to give the Vikings a 43-31 advantage. Lawrence traded baskets with the Bucs for the rest of the contest as Beloit got no closer than eight points in the final minute.
    Earl carried the load for the Vikings down the stretch as she scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Ashley Batac went 4-for-4 from the foul line in the final 40 seconds to put the game out of reach. Batac finished with six points and four rebounds.
    Lawrence returns to action on Saturday when the Vikings travel to Grinnell College.