By LARRY HOLCOMBE

Globe Sports Editor

IRONWOOD -- Finlandia University sophomore Brigitte LaPointe came up big for the Lady Lions late, leading FU to a 67-63 victory over Gogebic Community College Saturday afternoon.

It was close the whole way, tied at 36-36 at intermission.

The Lady Lions scored the first four points in the second half and kept that lead with a pair of jumpers from junior Crystal Vivian of Ishpeming.

GCC sophomore guard Janey Routheaux of Ironwood led the Lady Samsons back. She scored on an underhand, scooping drive and a short jumper, assisted sophomore Kristen Ruppe in the paint, and split a pair of free throws to tie it at 51-51 with 6:20 remaining.

LaPointe, a former star at Baraga High, took over from there, scoring 12 straight points. She teamed with Melanie Babcock on a nifty give-and-go for two points in the paint, followed by a long 3-pointer.

LaPointe went back in the lane with a good move, but was fouled. She made a pair of free throws and followed that with a putback for two more points. She added another trey, her fifth, and the Lady Lions were up 63-55 with 2:30 left.

Sophomore Leslie Haapoja of Bessemer and Routheaux (15 points) hit buckets to draw GCC within 63-59 in the final minute. Ruppe (19 points) hit a basket to make it 65-63 with four seconds remaining, but that was as close as the Lady Samsons could get.

"We played hard right to the end," said GCC coach Dennis Mackey.

LaPointe finished with 24 points to lead an ad hoc Finlandia junior varsity team. FU doesn't have a jayvee program, and only suited up players who haven't played every game this season.

GCC (12-8) hosts Northland Baptist Bible College of Dunbar, Wis., Saturday at 1 p.m.

Finlandia JV -- Kylee Benson 2 0 0 2-4, Laura Peterson 5 0 0 2-10, Brigitte LaPointe 2 5 5 2-24, Samantha Voigt 1 0 2 2-4, Lindsay Rajala 0 0 0 2-0, Crystal Vivian 3 0 0 3-6, Trisha Barney 1 0 0 1-2, Melanie Babcock 0 5 2 3-17. Totals: 14 10 9-11 17 67.

Gogebic CC -- Leslie Haapoja 2 0 0 2-4, Nicole Rosga 1 0 0 1-2, Janey Routheaux 6 1 5 1-20, Nichole Mazurek 5 0 2 2-12, Samantha Ervin 0 0 0 0-0, Allison Coss 1 0 0 0-2, Andrea Harrington 0 0 0 1-0, Kristen Ruppe 8 0 3 2-19, Megan Tucker 0 0 0 0-0, Carly Levra 2 0 0 3-4. Totals: 25 1 10-16 13 63.

Half: 36-36.