(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team finally returned home to Erickson Hall Gymnasium Tuesday evening. The Chiefs, who had not played a home game since November 29, hosted McHenry County College in an Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) match-up. The Chiefs (5-11, 1-2) and Scots (8-6, 1-2) engaged in a closely contested game for 39 minutes until McHenry scored the final eight points in the closing minute to pull out an 81-73 victory. Until the final seconds neither team had more than a 6-point lead throughout the game, which featured 20 ties and 21 lead changes.
The teams started out trading baskets as Brooke Heiman scored a lay-up on a back-door pass from Angelina Schlinger on the Chiefs' first possession. Heiman drilled a three-pointer from the left wing two minutes later to put Waubonsee in front 9-6. Schlinger then drilled a triple from nearly the same spot on the floor to make it 12-6 a moment later. Midway through the period Kaila Schlinger snagged a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast for a lay-in to for a 16-13 Chiefs' advantage. Heiman drilled a pull-up, eight-foot jumper with two minutes left in the first quarter as Waubonsee grabbed a 20-16 lead before ending the period ahead 22-20.
Two minutes into the second quarter the teams were tied at 26-all. Both teams then went somewhat cold over the next five minutes as they each tallied only four points. The Chiefs went back in front 33-30 when Alexis Trousdale connected on a trey from the left corner. Lily Fernandez then drilled a quick jumper from the left corner off an in-bounds pass in the waning seconds to send the teams to the locker room with Waubonsee in front 37-33.
The Chiefs started the third quarter with a pair of turnovers that resulted in baskets allowing the Scots to knot the score at 37. A long three-pointer by McHenry's Lacey Schaffter and another by Macy Madsen seconds later suddenly put the Scots ahead 47-41 four minutes into the second half. A three-pointer from the top of the key by Heiman and a three-point play by Emily Hurst got the Chiefs within 48-46 midway through the third period. A short turn around, one-hander off the glass by Hurst tied the game at 50 two minutes later. Fernandez then evened things up again when she buried a trey from the left wing to make it 55-all. The next trip down Heiman drilled a long triple to give Waubonsee a 58-57 lead with a minute remaining in the quarter. A reverse lay-in by Hurst on the Chiefs' ensuing possession extended the lead to three points.
Waubonsee carried that three-point lead in the final period. However, McHenry's Molly Wetzel scored inside to tie the game at 60 a minute later. The Scots then took a 65-62 lead when Madsen connected on a three-pointer. The Chiefs responded again as Fernandez tallied the equalizer when she nailed the three-pointer from the right corner to knot the score at 67 midway through the fourth quarter. An offensive rebound and put back basket by Hurst tied the game once more with three minutes to go in regulation. A drive and basket by Madeline Scharrenberg put the Scots in front 73-71 with two minutes left before Heiman nailed a 15-foot jumper to tie the game with a minute remaining. Scharrenberg then scored on an inside move and the Chiefs turned the ball over on the next trip up the court. A basket by Madsen and another turnover by the Chiefs gave McHenry the ball right back. Wetzel then connected on a pair of free throws to suddenly pushed McHenry's lead to 79-73 with 0:30 to go. Another Waubonsee turnover and foul resulted in two more Wetzel free throws as the Scots put the game away.
Heiman led all scorers with 28 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists. Angelina Schlinger added 13 and nine assists, while Hurst finished with 13 points, eight boards and three assists. Fernandez contributed 10 points, and Kaila Schlinger grabbed nine rebounds in the loss. Madsen paced the Scots with 26 points, while Scharrenberg booked 22 points and Wetzel chipped in with 21 points. Waubonsee is in action again this coming Thursday, January 19 when they travel to Chicago Heights to face Prairie State College in another ISCC contest beginning at 5:15 p.m.