(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team came out flat against winless Kishwaukee College on Tuesday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. Unfortunately, the Chiefs (3-4) could never quite get on track as the Kougars (1-7) pulled off a 74-72 upset win. Waubonsee looked sluggish at times during the contest that featured eight ties and 11 lead changes. Kishwaukee secured its first win of the season on the strength of making 17 of 24 free throw attempts for the game.
A high arching three-pointer from the right corner by Angelina Schlinger put Waubonsee in front 3-2 in the opening two minutes. A slick pass from Katie Baker to Schlinger cutting back door to the basket two minutes later tied the game at 7-all. The upset minded Kougars then scored the next five points prompting head coach Jim Williams to call a timeout. However, Waubonsee's offensive woes continued as Kishwaukee grabbed a 16-9 lead with two minutes left in the first quarter. The Kougars, averaging just 50 points per game, held an 18-11 lead at the end of the period.
Kishwaukee led by as many as 11 points and still held a 22-16 advantage at the midway point of the second quarter. Waubonsee continued to chip away at the deficit as Ashleigh Wackerlin drilled a 12-foot jumper in the lane to pull the Chiefs within four points with three minutes to go until halftime. A minute later Baker hit a trey from the left corner to make it a one-point game. The teams traded baskets and headed to the locker room with Kishwaukee clinging to a 26-25 lead. For the half Waubonsee shot just 30 percent (11 of 36) from the floor and went just 2 for 12 from three-point range.
A triple by Annika Bielskis to start the second half gave Waubonsee the lead and Baker quickly followed with a drive to the basket for two more points as the Chiefs went up by four points. The Kougars tied the game a minute later before Ma'Liyah Hodges put Waubonsee back in front with an inside basket. A pair of short baseline baskets by Wackerlin upped the Chiefs' lead to 36-30 midway through the third period. However, Kishwaukee battled back to tie the score at 40-all with four minutes to go in the quarter. The Kougars then converted three free throws to take a 43-40 lead. Moments later Bielskis completed a three-point play to knot the score once more. Baker then scored on a lay-up as the teams traded baskets back-and-forth. A put back basket by Bielskis tied the game at 49 with 0:30 remaining in the stanza, and the score stayed that way heading into the final quarter.
A pair of long three-pointers by Kishwaukee's Kira Klapprodt highlighted a quick 10-0 run by the visitors to start the fourth quarter. Waubonsee clawed back to within four points at 63-59 with five minutes to go. A driving lay-in by Alexis Trousdale a moment later made it a one possession game. However, Kishwaukee answered and held the Chiefs at bay clinging to a 68-64 lead with two minutes to go. Waubonsee wasn't through though. A basket by Baker and foul sent her to the line with 0:33 remaining. The sophomore guard missed the free throw, but Hodges grabbed the rebound and kicked it out to Bielskis who buried a three-pointer to suddenly make it a 71-70 game with 0:26 left. A foul with 0:20 to go sent Klapprodt to the line where she made both charity tosses. On the ensuing trip down the court Waubonsee's Emma Baum was fouled shooting a three-pointer with 0:12. Baum then made two out of the three shots to make it 73-72. An over and back violation on the inbounds gave the Chiefs the ball back for a final shot, but Baker's scoop shot in traffic came up short. The Kougars MeKiyah Davis snagged the rebound and then connected on the second of two free throws with 0:01.3 remaining. The Chiefs called their final timeout to set up for one last-second shot. Bielskis got off a long three-point attempt from the top of the key, but it was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.
Baker led Waubonsee with a double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with six assists and four steals. Wackerlin finished with 14 points, three steals and five boards. Trousdale also booked a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Bielskis added 11 points and hauled down seven caroms. As they have done all season the duo of Klapprodt and Emily Gilbert paced the Kougars. Klapprodt booked 25 points and Gilbert tallied 24 and corralled 10 rebounds before fouling out late in the game.
Waubonsee travels to Joliet Junior College this coming Thursday, December 7 for a 5:00 p.m. game before returning home to host Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin next Tuesday, December 12. Tipoff in Erickson Hall is set for 5:30 p.m. (CDT) that evening.