Linn hit the floor running and won every quarter but the fourth (13-13) en route to a 55-28 win over School of the Osage on Saturday as the Lady Cats earned third at last week’s Eugene tournament.

“I thought we had a pretty solid tournament,” said Coach Ryan Rost. “It was unfortunate to have the bad shooting night against St. Elizabeth that we did, but I was very proud of our effort in all three games. I’m very pleased with our defense and how we are able to contain teams right now. We will continue to work on our shooting/finishing  and our offensive efficiency, but I’m excited about how we are playing right now overall.”

Against the Lady Indians, Linn staked to a 14-5 first-quarter lead and held a 24-11 halftime advantage. The Lady Cats shot 39.1% overall and covered half their free throws (16-32) while converting 3-14 from beyond the arc.

Kiana Hostetler (3-5 3PT, 3-4 FT) scored 16 to lead the team as Paige Senevey (2-3 FT) also hit double figures with 12. Nicole Grellner added nine, followed by Carley Brandt (5-10 FT, 7 points), Vivien Baker (6), Kenzy Hackmann and Elli Dudenhoeffer (2 each), and Hannah Hackmann (1). Grellner and Hostetler each had two assists.

On the glass, Baker led with eight rebounds, and Grellner and Brandt grabbed seven each, followed by H. Hackmann (3), Hostetler, Dudenhoeffer, and Senevey (2 each), and K. Hackmann (1).

Defensively, Grellner’s four steals paced the team as Dudenhoeffer pilfered three, Hostetler, H. Hackmann, Senevey, and Brandt claimed two apiece, and Baker and K. Hackmann posted one each. Brandt had the team’s only block.

In the semifinals, Linn lost to St. Elizabeth, 42-33, as the Lady Cats shot 18.5% overall.

Linn trailed 14-8 after the first and 24-18 at the break. The Lady Cats stayed pretty close through the third, but St. E’s six-point edge in the fourth put the game out of reach.

Baker scored nine and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Lady Wildcats. K. Hackmann added eight points and two rebounds, followed by Hostetler (5 points, 5 rebounds), Dudenhoeffer (4 points, 2 rebounds), Senevey (3 points, 5 rebounds), Brandt (3 points, 4 rebounds), and Heslie Higginbotham (1 point, 2 rebounds). Grellner added four rebounds.

Linn had no steals but six blocks, including two by Hostetler, and one apiece from Grellner, Baker, Higginbotham, and Brandt.

In the opening round, Linn cruised to a 56-15 win over Vienna. The Lady Cats scored in double figures in three of four quarters, while Vienna scored in double figures in only one.

Grellner hit a pair of treys on the way to 15 points with five rebounds. Senevey added 10 points and six boards, followed by Brandt (9 points, 5 rebounds), Higginbotham (7 points, 4 rebounds), K. Hackmann (2-2 FT, 6 points, 3 rebounds), Hostetler (3-4 FT, 5 points, 6 rebounds), and Dudenhoeffer (2 points, 4 boards). Hostetler posted a team-high four assists, and Baker and K. Hackmann added two each.

On the defensive side, K. Hackmann and Brandt posted four steals apiece, followed by Hostetler (3), Higginbotham and Senevey (2 each), and Grellner, Baker, Dudenhoeffer, and Emma Starke (1 apiece). Grellner and Brandt also each had a block.