WAVERLY, Iowa - The fifth ranked Wartburg women's basketball team took home a 74-39 victory over Luther College on Wednesday, Feb. 10 inside Levick Arena. The Knights have now won the past five games against the Norse. 

The Orange & Black (9-1, 3-1 A-R-C) will switch over to nonconference action on Friday, Feb. 12 when they host Edgewood College (5-2, 4-0 NACC) at 5:30 p.m. inside Levick Arena. 

It was an evenly matched first period as both programs struggled to find a rhythm offensively. The Knights forced eight turnovers in the opening frame but failed to capitalize on those mistakes and headed to the second period with only a two-point advantage. 

Wartburg got going in the second when forwards Kaitlyn Volesky and Payton Draper went a combined 7-of-7 from the floor and totaled 15 points. The Knights shot 53.3% from the field in the period and held their opponents to just four made field goals. Wartburg enjoyed a 15-0 run midway through the period behind a stifling full-court trap and hot shooting. The Knights won the frame 19-10 and went into halftime with an 11-point lead. 

It was much of the same in the third period as Wartburg's defense continued to be troublesome for the Norse. The Knights got to the foul line early and often in the period and finished the third 10-of-13 from the charity stripe. Wartburg's supporting cast out scored Luther's bench 11-4 and the Knights entered the final period with a comfortable 17-point advantage. 

The Knights' defense continued to shine in the final frame as Luther managed to score just two points on 1-of-11 shooting. Senior Draper added six points in the fourth and finished the contest with a career-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor as Wartburg cruised to a 35-point victory. 

Mount Vernon, Iowa native Volesky tallied a season-high 13 points while fellow senior Bailey Naig added a season-best 10 points off the bench. Waverly native Draper added a team-high seven rebounds to go along with her career high point total. The Knights finished the contest 39.4% from the field, 18.8% from long range and 84.2% from the free-throw line. 

Defensively, Wartburg forced 29 turnovers on nine steals and nine blocks. The Norse ended the contest 28.1% from the floor, 7.7% from 3-point land and 54.5% from the charity stripe.