Aurora, Ill. — Illinois Tech women's basketball faced a tough matchup at Aurora University Wednesday night, falling 86-53 at Thornton Gymnasium. Grace Goodnough paced the Scarlet Hawks with 15 points.

Illinois Tech now stands at 2-10 overall and 2-4 in NACC play, while the Spartans hold an 11-2 overall record with a 5-1 mark in conference action.

How It Happened

The Scarlet Hawks started strong in the first quarter with Abigail Marino sinking two free throws at 9:25, followed by a layup from Chloe Churilla at 8:40, giving them an early 4-0 lead. Aurora quickly answered back with Alina Anderson's jumper at 8:29. Grace Goodnough added another layup for Illinois Tech at 8:00. But the Spartans surged ahead with a layup from Kylie Fischbach at 5:58 and a three-pointer from Anderson at 5:43, taking a 12-8 lead. Amanda Wang hit a three-pointer at 1:56 to bring Illinois Tech within three, but the Spartans held their ground with a three-pointer from Courtney Schuk at 1:04, ending the quarter at 25-19.

In the second quarter, the Spartans set the pace with Riley Doggett's layup at 9:14 and a three-pointer at 8:05. Their defensive pressure was evident as Anderson snatched a steal at 8:26. Churilla tried to keep Illinois Tech in the game with a layup at 7:11, but Aurora's consistent scoring kept them ahead. Goodnough's layup, assisted by Berit Rusing at 0:45, brought the Scarlet Hawks a bit closer, but Fischbach's free throw with 29 seconds left kept the Spartans leading 39-27 at halftime.

Aurora played a strong third quarter, forcing 12 Scarlet Hawk turnovers. Anderson's three-pointer at 9:38, assisted by Krystyna Manzanarez, set the tone. Despite a three-pointer from Camden Joko at 7:49, the Hawks were unable to close the gap. Aurora outscored Illinois Tech 23-13, ending the quarter with a 62-40 advantage.

In the final quarter, the Spartans capitalized turned defensive plays into points. Dani Antione's layup and free throw at 9:03 kicked off a decisive run. Doggett added a layup at 8:42, contributing to a 7-0 run. Illinois Tech faced ball control issues, with six turnovers exploited by five Spartan steals. Late efforts by Rusing and Miabella Spica couldn't close the gap, as the Spartans finished strong with a 24-13 edge in the quarter.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Grace Goodnough  
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- 15 points  
- 7/9 field goals  
- 4 rebounds  

Chloe Churilla  
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- 12 points  
- 2 assists  
- 7 rebounds  

Berit Rusing
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- 8 points  
- 3 rebounds  

Camden Joko
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- 7 points  
- 3 rebounds  

Abigail Marino  
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- 3 steals  
- 2 assists  
- 3 rebounds  

Lea Petitjean  
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- 2 steals  
- 2 rebounds  

Aurora Top Performers

Kylie Fischbach  
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- 19 points  
- 6 assists  
- 5 rebounds  
- 4 steals  

Krystyna Manzanarez  
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- 7 points  
- 7 rebounds  
- 5 assists  
- 3 steals  

Alina Anderson  
----------------------  
- 12 points  
- 4 steals  
- 4 rebounds  

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech is 0-12 lifetime against the Spartans.
- Berit Rusing has secured 3 or more defensive rebounds in 5 consecutive games.
- Chloe Churilla has scored at least 12 points in 5 consecutive games.
- Chloe Churilla has grabbed at least 7 rebounds in 4 consecutive games.
- The Scarlet Hawks managed to force 21 turnovers, while Aurora forced 29 turnovers.

Up Next
The Scarlet Hawks travel to De Pere, Wisconsin, to face St. Norbert College on Saturday, January 10th at 1 p.m. in a NACC contest.