Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Former Fort Dodge Dodger Lainey Maehl shoots for Iowa Central against NIACC on Wednesday night inside Hodges Fieldhouse. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The 15th-ranked (NJCAA Div. II) North Iowa Area Community College women sent Iowa Central to an eighth consecutive loss here Wednesday night inside Hodges Fieldhouse, 80-54.

Behind a 26-7 start to the game, the Trojans had no trouble getting above .500 in ICCAC play as Keeley Steele scored 21 and Kelsey McDonough added 20 off the bench.

For the Tritons (5-12 overall, 0-7 in the league), former Fort Dodge Senior High standout Lainey Maehl scored a game-high 24 points. Maehl, who was 9 of 13 from the field, surpassed her previous ICCC career high of 19 set earlier this year.

NIACC (13-4, 4-3) shot 53 percent from the field in the first quarter, as Steele scored nine and Reggi Spotts added five. They forced eight Iowa Central turnovers and held the Tritons to just 3-for-13 shooting.

The action slowed in the second, as the two teams combined for just 21 points as Iowa Central outscored the Trojans, 13-8. But the third period was all in favor of the visitors, as NIACC put up 27 behind 16 from McDonough.

Maehl, who had six points in the third, accounted for 12 of the 22 points scored by the Tritons in the final frame.

Sharon Greek added 13 points with six rebounds and five assists. Catherine Clemente added seven points, five boards and three blocks.

NIACC sank 11 triples and recorded 17 steals, scoring 42 points off 30 Iowa Central turnovers. They also had a plus-19 edge in second-chance points and were plus-23 on bench points.

The Tritons return to action next Wednesday at Northeast.