(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team ended the first half of the season on a high note as they downed Kishwaukee College 59-49. The Chiefs pulled away midway through the fourth quarter to secure their fifth win in the last six games. Waubonsee heads into the holiday break with an 8-5 record overall after starting out the season with three straight losses.
The Chiefs struggled offensively in the early going, falling behind 8-1 midway through the first quarter. Foul troubles then began to mount for the Kougars allowing Waubonsee to get on track. Kougars' leading scorer Morgan Baker picked up her third personal foul and went to the bench with four minutes to go in the quarter. The Chiefs then clawed their way to within 13-11 in the final minute of the period as things began to turn in Waubonsee's favor.
In the final seconds of the quarter the Chiefs missed a close in shot, but retained possession with just :00.6 left when a Kougars' player lost the rebound out of bounds. Kishwaukee's Dennysha Kizer then was whistled for her third foul as the Chiefs tried to inbound the ball sending Kayla Battle to the foul line. The Chiefs' 6'0" center made both charity tosses to tie the game. The Kougars then threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds giving Waubonsee the ball once again under the basket with :00.6 still on the clock. A moment later Katie Beebe got the inbound pass and quickly scored inside just before the buzzer sounded to put the Chiefs in front 15-13.
Both teams came into the contest having not played in the last 10 days, and seemed out of sync in the second quarter. The teams combined for a dozen turnovers and missed 28 shots in the period as the Kougars eventually took a 26-23 lead into halftime. The Kougars' other top player, forward Rashel Robinson, then picked up her fourth foul early in the third quarter. Waubonsee was able to get the upper hand by out scoring Kishwaukee 16-9 in the period.
Three minutes into the fourth quarter Hayley Farren connected on a clutch three-pointer as the shot clock wound down to stake the Chiefs to a 44-39 lead and spark Waubonsee's push to the win. A 10-3 run by the Chiefs over the next three minutes extended the lead to 54-42 with four minutes remaining and the Kougars never got the deficit to single digits the rest of the way.
Jasmine Shepard led a balanced Chiefs' offense with 12 points. Maddie Kawall came off the bench to book 11 points and make four steals. Beebe finished with a double-double, her fourth of the season, with 10 points and 15 rebounds to go along with four blocks. Battle finished with nine points and nine boards, and Farren contributed eight points.
The Chiefs now have a lengthy holiday layoff before their next game. Waubonsee is not in action again until Saturday, January 5, 2019 when they host Bryant & Stratton College from Wisconsin. Jim Williams' women's squad battles the Bobcats starting at 1:00 p.m., with the men's game tipping off at 3:00 p.m.