Plymouth, Wis. — A fast start and solid first quarter for Illinois Tech women's basketball didn't translate to a victory Wednesday night at Lakeland, as the Scarlet Hawks fell to the Muskies 56-33 at Moose and Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
Illinois Tech fell to 2-16 overall and 2-10 in NACC play. The Muskies improved to 8-11 overall, and 5-6 in the NACC. with a final score of.
How It Happened
The game kicked off with a promising start for Illinois Tech. They took a commanding 16-7 lead in the first quarter.
Grace Goodnough was on fire, racking up six points with two layups and a jumper.
Berit Rusing also made her presence felt in the paint. The Muskies had a hard time finding their mark, shooting just 3-for-18, though Jiaryatou Cisse managed a couple of scores under the basket. The quarter wrapped up with an exciting buzzer-beater from
Morgan Applewhite, extending the Scarlet Hawks' lead to nine.
However, the tide turned in the second quarter as Lakeland roared back, outscoring Illinois Tech 18-3. Lauryn Johnson got things rolling with a layup early on. Meghan MacPhee tied things up with a jumper, as Lakeland began to pull ahead. Sadie Grabow's three-pointer, thanks to an assist from Jenna Shea, widened the gap. The Muskies' defense was relentless, holding Illinois Tech to just one field goal and forcing eight turnovers.
By the third quarter, Lakeland was in control, ending the period at 43-29. Sadie Grabow hit another crucial three-pointer, assisted by A.T. Bartlett. Although
Chloe Churilla responded with a layup and
Berit Rusing added important points from the free-throw line, the Scarlet Hawks couldn't keep up with Lakeland's pace, who thrived on second-chance opportunities and bench strength.
The final quarter saw Lakeland seal their victory, outscoring Illinois Tech 13-4. A.T. Bartlett sank a three-pointer, while Alexis Johnson dominated in the paint. Turnovers plagued Illinois Tech, with
Chloe Churilla's free throw and
Camden Joko's late three-pointer providing the few bright spots.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Berit Rusing
----------------------
- 11 points
- 5/6 free throws made
- 3 steals
- 3 rebounds
Chloe Churilla
----------------------
- 7 points
- 3 steals
- 4 rebounds
Camden Joko
----------------------
- 6 points
- 2 3-pointers
- 1 assist
Lakeland Top Performers
Meghan MacPhee
----------------------
- 9 points
- 7 rebounds
Sadie Grabow
----------------------
- 6 points
- 2 steals
- 6 rebounds
Alexis Johnson
----------------------
- 6 points
- 4 steals
- 5 rebounds
Game Notes:
- The Scarlet Hawks hold a 0-13 record against the Muskies.
-
Berit Rusing has attempted at least 6 field goals in 3 straight games.
-
Chloe Churilla has scored at least 7 points in 9 consecutive games.
- The team recorded 9 steals, surpassing their season average of 6.75.
Up Next
Illinois Tech will host Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday, January 31st at 1 p.m. at the Keating Sports Center in another NACC contest.
