(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team pulled away in the second quarter and then held off visiting Highland Community College down the stretch for a 60-50 win on Saturday afternoon in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (9-6) held the Cougars (5-9) to just 30 percent shooting from the field and out rebounded the visitors from Freeport 40-31 for the game to offset committing 26 turnovers.
Anna-Marie Godina drilled a three-pointer from the right wing to start the scoring in the opening minute. A minute later Savannah FitzSimons dished off to Makayla McNally for an inside basket to stake Waubonsee to an early 5-0 lead. The Cougars then found their shooting touch with back-to-back three-pointers to take the lead. Godina splashed another three, this time from the left wing, to put the Chiefs ahead 8-6 midway through the first quarter. Three minutes later a McNally 15-foot jumper gave Waubonsee a 12-9 lead with two minutes remaining in the period. The quarter ended with the Chiefs leading just 12-11 as both teams shooting barely over 30 percent from the field.
A short jump shot in the lane by Anyae Newson and a long triple by Godina highlighted a quick 8-2 Waubonsee run to start the second quarter. A fade away baseline shot for two by Newson helped the Chiefs maintain the lead as the midway point of the period approached. McNally then drilled a 12-foot shot to push the lead to double figures at 26-15 with four minutes to go until halftime. Waubonsee's aggressive man-to-man defense continued to stymie the Cougars as the quarter wound down. Emily Mengerink then buried a triple from the right side to put the Chiefs up 31-15. Waubonsee closed out the quarter by out scoring Highland 24-4 taking a 36-15 lead into the break. For the first half the Cougars shot just 21 percent (5 of 24) from the field.
Just a few seconds into the second half Newson scored again and Mengerink connected from beyond the arc to extend Waubonsee's lead to 41-17. A quick 7-0 run by the Cougars cut the Chiefs' lead under 20 points four minutes into the third quarter. Highland continued to chip away at Waubonsee's lead getting it down to 14 points with four minutes to go in the quarter. However, Godina answered with a pair of free throws and her fifth three-pointer of the game. The Chiefs took a 50-36 lead heading into the final quarter after Highland's TaMya Sago scored just before the buzzer at the end of the period.
Both teams could not find their offensive rhythm in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter until Mengerink drove to the rim and scored on a reverse lay-up. Abi Dietlin then scored as the shot clock wound down to push Waubonsee's advantage back up to 20 points with six minutes to go. The Cougars battled back again and cut Waubonsee's lead down to 13 with two minutes left. Highland's Morgan Blair then buried a three-point basket to suddenly make it a 58-48 game with 1:41 to go. A short time later Newson scored off a feed from McNally to clinch the game.
Waubonsee had four players in double figures led by Godina's 17 points. Mengerink chipped in with 13 points, while McNally booked a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals. Newson finished with 11 points, FitzSimons dished out seven assists and snagged eight boards. Waubonsee is set to play again this coming Tuesday, January 14, when they host the College of Lake County in an Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference match-up beginning at 5:15 p.m. The men's contest is slated for 7:15 p.m. that evening. The Chiefs are also at home next Saturday, January 18 when Harper College comes to Sugar Grove. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with the men's contest slated for 3:00 p.m.
