NORTHFIELD, Minn. (Interstat) — Saint Olaf held off Northwestern-Saint Paul 59-55 in a women’s NCAA Division III basketball game Wednesday at Skoglund Center. Attendance was 116. Saint Olaf improved to 2-0, while Northwestern-Saint Paul fell to 1-1. Lydia Schmitter led Northwestern-Saint Paul with 19 points and nine rebounds, Joanna Talso added 13 points and six rebounds, and Carli Mattes scored 11. Erin Schauer paced Saint Olaf with 19 points, Elise Hahn grabbed 13 rebounds, Joy Brandenstein scored nine, Sami Sarner added 10, and Graycie Smith contributed five points and four assists. Schmitter opened with a layup and 3-pointer as Northwestern-Saint Paul took an early lead. Saint Olaf rallied behind Schauer and Brandenstein, whose 3-pointer early in the fourth put the Oles ahead. Schauer’s 3 with 3:45 left gave Saint Olaf separation, and Hallie Koltz sealed it with two free throws. Northwestern-Saint Paul shot 20 of 49 from the floor, while Saint Olaf shot 21 of 58; the Oles held a 10-5 edge in offensive rebounds, and both teams committed 19 turnovers.