(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team fell 72-56 to Aurora University's Junior Varsity Tuesday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Spartans utilized their deep bench to wear down the Chiefs (0-2) and gradually pull away over the final three quarters of play. For the game Aurora out rebounded Waubonsee 53-31 and owned a 34-4 advantage in points off the bench.
A pair of three-pointers by sophomore guard Angelina Schlinger staked the Chiefs to a 7-5 lead early in the game. The teams traded triples with Annika Bielskis nailing a long basket as Waubonsee led 12-11 midway through the first quarter. Another trey by Bielskis pushed the lead to 17-11 before the Spartans went on a 7-0 run to regain the lead. The fast-paced quarter, which featured 12 lead changes, ended with Aurora ahead 24-21 courtesy of a steal and breakaway lay-up by Oswego East High School graduate Riley Doggett in the waning seconds.
The Spartans scored a pair of quick baskets to build an eight-point lead a minute into the second half. Paisley Booth completed a three-point play to get the Chiefs to within 30-25 as the midway point of the second quarter approached. With three minutes remaining until halftime Schlinger drove the left side of the lane and scored on an underhand scoop shot between two defenders. The Chiefs' point guard was also fouled on the play and completed the three-point play to pull Waubonsee within 34-28. However, the Spartans kept the Chiefs at arm's length and headed to the locker room with a 37-30 lead.
Bielskis buried a long three to get the Chiefs going in the second half, but Aurora responded with a long-range basket of their own. Danielle Antione drilled another three to extend Aurora's lead to double digits for the first time at 46-35 three minutes into the third quarter. The streaky shooting Bielskis answered with another trey before the Spartans' Aurora Eklund netted an equalizer to make it 52-40 midway through the period. The visitors continued to hold off Waubonsee maintaining leads of between eight and 12 points as the quarter wound down. Aurora took its biggest lead to that point at 58-45 just before the third period ended.
The Spartans' 6'0" center Ava Barszcz scored from close range a minute into the final quarter to make the score 60-47. A minute later Barszcz nailed a three-pointer and then blocked a shot at the other end of the court as Aurora grabbed a 65-49 lead. Both teams experienced a scoring drought over the next three minutes of play as the Spartans held a 65-50 lead midway through the fourth quarter. A pair of free throws by Schlinger with a minute and a half to go helped cut the deficit to 11 points at 67-56. But that is as close as the Chiefs would get.
Schlinger led all scorers with 21 points going 10 for 11 at the foul line to go along with dishing out four assists. Bielskis finished with a dozen points nailing four shots from beyond the arc. Booth chipped in with 12 points and four rebounds, while Katie Baker handed out three assists, snagged five boards and made two steals. Antione paced the Spartans with 14 points as 13 different Aurora players dented the scoring column. Barszcz finished with 11 points and Dallas Poll grabbed 11 rebounds for the visitors.
Waubonsee is in action again this coming Saturday, November 11 when they host the College of DuPage beginning at 1:00 p.m. Coach Lance Robinson's men's squad is set to host Joliet Junior College this Thursday evening with a 7:00 p.m. tipoff. The Chiefs will also play the College of DuPage on Saturday afternoon starting at 3:00 p.m. in Erickson Hall Gymnasium.