The Carthage women’s basketball team began the 2026-27 season on a high note, defeating Luther College 72-64 at Tarble Arena on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Firebirds withstood a late surge by the visiting Norse to secure the win and set a positive tone for the year ahead.
Key performers spark the win
Junior guard Delaney Elsmore led all scorers with 19 points, adding four assists and two steals. Freshman forward Erin Hackett contributed 17 points in her collegiate debut, shooting 40 percent from three‑point range and pulling down eight rebounds. Junior forward Brecken Carsello added 12 points while shooting an impressive 85.7 percent from the field, and freshman guard Jane Belmont rounded out the top four with 11 points on four‑of‑five free‑throw shooting.
Defensively, Dylan Romero recorded four steals, and senior forward Nora Ahram posted the game’s lone block for Carthage.
Game flow
Luther opened the contest with a quick 3‑0 run before Elsmore got Carthage on the board. The Firebirds answered with free throws from Ahram to take a brief lead, but the Norse reclaimed the advantage at 7‑4. Carthage tied the game at 16‑16 on a Belmont layup with 2:21 left in the first quarter and closed the period on top, 20‑16. Belmont led the quarter with six points.
In the second quarter, Carthage extended the lead to nine points with consecutive scores from Elsmore and senior guard Marissa Morgan. A 13‑3 run pushed the advantage to 40‑21 with 3:51 left in the half before Luther trimmed it to 40‑25 at the break. Carthage outscored the Norse 20‑9 in the quarter, with Morgan and Hackett each adding five points, while Elsmore and Carsello finished the first half with eight points each.
The third quarter saw Luther rally with three straight three‑pointers, cutting the deficit to a single point at 42‑41 with 4:06 remaining. A layup by Carsello and a jumper by Elsmore restored a five‑point lead, but Luther answered with a dominant 23‑8 quarter to tie the game at 48‑48 heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, Luther opened with a 5‑0 run to lead 53‑48. Belmont answered with a layup to bring Carthage within three, but the Norse pushed the margin back to seven with 6:42 left. A Belmont three‑pointer and a Hackett layup narrowed the gap to two, and a Hackett three gave the Firebirds a 58‑57 lead. Carthage closed the game on a decisive 14‑7 run to seal the 72‑64 victory.
Looking ahead
The Firebirds will travel for their first road game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 14, when they face Edgewood in Madison. Tip‑off is set for 5 p.m. at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. Carthage returns to Tarble Arena on Saturday, Nov. 21, to host Concordia Wisconsin.
Fans can follow updates and schedule details at athletics.carthage.edu.
Original reporting: Kenosha.com — read the source article.
