For the second time on the young season, the Atlantic Trojans followed up a loss with a win. Atlantic showcased the hallmark of a good team: finding a way to win despite not playing particularly well. The first half was near disastrous for the Trojans as they managed just a single field turnover. Again struggling with turnovers, Atlantic trailed by as many as 11. Much like they did against St. Albert on Monday, they found a way to stick around; however, this time they took over the game. The Trojans outscored the Rams 35-22 in the second half to complete the comeback, taking the game 43-39 to pick up their second win of the season.

The first half was well below expectations. The Trojans hit just one shot from the floor (courtesy of Peyton McLaren) in the opening frame and scored a measly five points. Again, the Trojans struggled to handle the press and turned the ball over numerous times throughout the first half. The upside was that the Atlantic defense was also able to limit Glenwood. They managed a mere seven points in large part due to a pair of field goals from Maggie McChesney. Atlantic was practically shut out in the second frame. The team managed just three points all via charity stripe. On the other end, the Rams didn’t get much more, but they didn’t need much more. Maggie Smith and Kelsey Hughes each hit a three as the Trojans it the break down by nine.

Looking to turn things around, the Trojans continued to sputter early. Glenwood was able to extend its lead to 11 while Atlantic continued to struggle on offense. However, midway through the third quarter, the light switch flipped on. The Trojans became the aggressor and started turning the ball over on a regular basis. By the end of the third, they had cut the deficit to four, and the momentum had flipped. It didn’t take long into the fourth for Atlantic to take the lead. Mere seconds in, Zoey Kirchoff drained three to cut the lead to one. Then, after the Trojans forced a turnover, Kirchoff drained another from the same spot to give Atlantic the lead. Although McChesney put up 7 of her game-leading 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Trojans did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the night. Kirchoff’s two threes helped her to a team-leading 12 points, while Peyton McLaren’s two field goals in the third quarter helped tie that mark. Despite a McChesney three making it a one-possession game in the final minute, the Trojan defense clamped down to escape Glenwood with a 43-39 win. Head coach Dan Vargasion continues to be proud of the way his team handles adversity despite the poor start.

Throughout the night, the Glenwood students were involved in the game, providing a difficult environment. However, when it mattered most, Kirchoff came through with the biggest play of the game.

A hallmark of a good team is finding ways to win, and the Trojans did just that. Although it was great to get the win, the Trojans know they have to be better.

Now 2-2, the Trojans will remain at home until after the winter break. They’ll kick off the homestand on Tuesday with Clarinda. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 pm.