(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team could never quite get on track in falling 66-52 to Sandburg College from Galesburg on Saturday afternoon in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (14-14) shot just 26 percent from the field and committed 28 turnovers. The loss drops Waubonsee back to the .500 mark for the first time since they were 6-6 on December 21, 2024. The Chargers (19-9) outscored Waubonsee 42-18 in the paint and never trailed in the game.
Sandburg took an early 7-0 lead sparked by an intense man-to-man defense. The Chargers size and speed continued to present a challenge for the Chiefs in the opening minutes. However, Anna-Marie Godina nailed a long three-pointer to help cut the Chargers lead to 12-7. An inside bucket by Makayla McNally got the Chiefs within 15-12 with two minutes to go in the quarter. Sandburg's Layni Dobbins then nailed three free throws in the final half minute of the period to give the visitors a 22-13 lead entering the second stanza.
Highlighted by a pair of jumpers by Anyae Newson, Waubonsee began the second quarter with a 7-0 run to pull within two at 22-20. After a timeout by Sandburg head coach Kellen Fernetti, the Chargers answered with a 14-1 run to take control of the game. An inside basket by Abi Deitlin with three minutes to go until the intermission cut the deficit to single digits at 34-25. However, the score remained that way as the teams headed to the locker room.
Sandburg scored a pair of quick baskets to start the second half before Waubonsee cut the lead down to eight points at 38-30 on a pair of baskets by Emily Mengerink. An animated Fernetti called another timeout, and his team responded with a quick 5-0 run to get the Chargers' lead back to double digits. Over the next several minutes the Chiefs had chances to cut into the deficit but could not. Waubonsee misfired on their next seven shots while also committing five turnovers, allowing Sandburg to carry a 51-38 lead heading into the final period.
A three-point play by McNally cut the Chargers lead down to single digits at 51-42 a minute into the fourth quarter. Sandburg answered again and reeled off six straight points to go ahead again 57-44 as the midway point of the final quarter approached. The Chargers extended the lead to 22 points down the stretch before the Chiefs tallied the final eight points of the game.
McNally led Waubonsee in scoring with 11 points to go along with nine rebounds. Mengerink finished with 10, six rebounds and three assists. Newson chipped in with 10 points and grabbed five boards, while Godina added eight points, four assists and five rebounds, and Josie Rader snagged six boards and handed out three assists. The Chiefs finish out the regular season next Thursday, February 20 when they host Prairie State College on Sophomore Night. The Chiefs and Pioneers are set to tipoff at 5:15 p.m. in Sugar Grove with the men's contest scheduled afterwards for 7:15 p.m. The live stream of both of those games can be viewed on-line at www.Fan.Hudl.com/WaubonseeChiefs