(Sugar Grove, IL.) – After beating the College of Lake County 45-42 on a last second three-pointer by Maddie Kawall less than 24 hours earlier in Grayslake, the Chiefs returned home against a McHenry County College team intent on pushing the tempo. Buoyed by a 18-0 run from late in the first quarter into the beginning of the second, the visiting Scots went on to down Waubonsee Community College 79-57 in Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference action. The loss drops the Chiefs' record to 13-8 overall and 5-2 in conference play.
The Chiefs grabbed an early 7-2 lead before the Scots got on track, and surged ahead 9-8 midway through the first quarter. The Scots then nailed a pair of three point baskets, including one at the buzzer by Casey Gardner to take a 22-13 lead at the end of the period. That trey sparked McHenry as they went on a 14-0 run to start the second quarter to open up a 36-13 lead. A three-pointer by the Chiefs' Katie Beebe just before the end of the quarter closed out the first half scoring as McHenry led 42-25.
Waubonsee got to within 13 points on a couple occasions early in the third period, but the Scots responded each time to extend their lead back to at least 20 points. McHenry held off the Chiefs throughout the third quarter and took a 60-44 lead entering the final period. The Scots took their biggest lead of the game at 75-50 with 3:30 remaining.
Haley Farren led Waubonsee with 16 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. Beebe nearly booked a double-double scoring eight points and grabbing 17 rebounds, to go along with four blocks and four assists. Meghan Menzel chipped in with nine points, Emily Uplegger contributed eight points, Alexia Nicolai handed out five assists and Savhanna Arend snagged six boards in the loss.
The Chiefs are in action again next Tuesday, February 5 when they travel to south suburban Palos Hills to battle nationally ranked Moraine Valley Community College. Jim Williams' women's team set to play the fifth-ranked Cyclones beginning at 5:15 p.m. while Dave Heiss' men's squad takes the court at 7:15 p.m. (CDT). Waubonsee returns home next Thursday, February 7 when they host Prairie State College with the women's game starting at 5:15 p.m. and the men's contest at 7:15 p.m. in Erickson Hall. Both of those games can be seen 'live' on-line at www.GoChiefs.com