GRINNELL, Iowa -- The Lawrence University women's basketball team held on for a 54-53 Midwest Conference victory over Grinnell College on Saturday at Darby Gymnasium.
    Lawrence led by six with less than two minutes left but had to make a key defensive stand in the final seconds to preserve the victory.
    Sophie Morey led Lawrence with 12 points and added a team-best eight rebounds and three blocks. Maggie Culver added 11 points and four rebounds for the Vikings (11-4, 5-1 MWC). 
    Skylar Thomas paced Grinnell (9-6, 3-3) with 10 points, and Sara Booher had eight points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
    Lawrence built as much as an eight-point lead in the opening half and were up 30-27 at the half. The teams traded the lead in the third quarter before Lawrence grabbed the advantage back for good at 37-35 on Culver's jumper midway through the third. 
    The Vikings took their biggest lead of the game at 52-42 on Lydia Lueck's 3-pointer with 6:02 left in regulation. Grinnell chipped away at the lead and cut it to 52-48 on a pair of Amelia Rigel free throws with 2:41 remaining.
    Morey answered with a layup for the Vikings for a 54-48 edge with 1:49 remaining, but Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 1:02 left to trim the margin to 54-51.
    The teams then traded turnovers before Lawrence was fouled with 16 seconds left. The Vikings, who were just 10-for-19 from the foul line, missed both free throws, and Booher grabbed the rebound for Grinnell. 
    Lawrence came up with a big defensive stand as Grinnell wasn't able to get off a potential game-tying 3-pointer but did score on a layup at the buzzer to complete the scoring.
    Lawrence, which swept the season series from Grinnell, slides into second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind Cornell College.