(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Visiting Milwaukee Area (WI) Technical College took an early lead and gradually pulled away for an 80-51 win over Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team. The Stormers (3-5), with four players 6'0" or taller on their roster, controlled the boards in the non-conference match-up at Erickson Hall Gymnasium on Monday evening. The Chiefs (3-3) shot just 25 percent (16 of 63) from the field and made just four three-point baskets in the loss.
Savannah FitzSimons tallied Waubonsee's first basket with a drive down the lane for a lay-up to tie the score a minute into the game. The Stormers then went on a 7-1 run before Anna-Marie Godina connected on a long three-pointer to get the Chiefs within three points. However, Milwaukee's Alexis Ayers answered with a triple of her own to put the Stormers in front 12-6 midway through the first quarter. Another trey by Godina cut the deficit back down to three points as the Stormers missed seven straight shots. But the visitors closed out the period on an 8-0 run to grab a 20-10 lead heading to the second quarter.
Neither team could dent the scoring column over the initial two and a half minutes of the second period. By the midway point of the quarter Milwaukee led by nine points at 23-14 as a somewhat defensive stalemate developed. Makayla McNally scored down low to keep the Chiefs within striking distance at 25-18 with three minutes to go until the break. The Stormers responded with a quick 7-0 run to go ahead by 14 points, and eventually went to the locker room with a 32-20 lead. Waubonsee finished the half shooting just 24 percent (7 of 29) from the floor and only 18 percent (2 of 11) from three-point range. Milwaukee owned a 28-16 rebounding advantage through the first twenty minutes of play.
The tempo of play picked up as the second half began with both teams switching to a man-to-man defense. Milwaukee was able to maintain their double-digit lead as they answered every Chiefs' score with one of their own. After a three-point play by the Stormers' Tai Thomas-Carter, the lead bloomed to 17 points at 46-29 with four minutes left in the quarter. A minute later a three-point play by McNally gave Waubonsee some life, but Milwaukee responded again and built its' lead up to 20 points. The period ended with the Stormers holding a 57-37 lead.
The Chiefs' offensive woes continued as the fourth quarter got under way until Godina buried a triple with seven minutes to go in the game. A 12-3 run by the Stormers then put them in front 69-40 midway through the period as they continued to pull away. A steal and break away left-handed lay-in by Katelyn Curtis, and a three-pointer by Emily Mengerink gave the Chiefs something to cheer about as the clock wound down.
McNally booked a double-double for Waubonsee with a dozen points and a dozen rebounds. Godina tallied 10 points with a trio of three-point baskets, while Newson scored eight points and corralled six boards. Ayers paced Milwaukee with 19 points, while Heaven Cooper chipped in with 17 points and six assists. Coach Jim Williams' Chiefs are not in action again until Saturday, December 7 when they head into Chicago to take on Truman College beginning at 1:00 p.m. Waubonsee's next home game is not until Tuesday, December 17 when they host Black Hawk College starting at 5:30 p.m.