(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team held off visiting Kankakee Community College for a 78-67 win on Saturday afternoon in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. Led by Anna-Marie Godina's collegiate career high of 28 points, the Chiefs (14-11) built a double-digit lead and out rebounded the Cavaliers (14-13) 50-36 to secure the win. Both teams shot an identical 38.8 percent (26 of 67) from the field with Waubonsee owning a nine-point advantage from the foul line 19-10.
Emily Mengerink buried a long three-pointer to start the scoring on the Chiefs' first possession. Two minutes later Godina connected on a triple from the right corner as Waubonsee jumped out to an 8-0 lead. Kankakee finally got on track offensively by switching to a full-court press defense. The Cavaliers quickly put together an 11-0 run to take the lead. The contest remained tight as the first quarter progressed as Godina splashed another trey and Kankakee's Alana Ross answered with one of her own. The period closed with Waubonsee clinging to a 19-16 lead after Makayla McNally scored on a put back basket just before the buzzer sounded.
Godina then completed a three-point play and Anyae Newson scored on a fast break lay-up to stake the Chiefs to a 26-19 lead three minutes into the second quarter. Waubonsee extended the lead to 35-23 midway through the second quarter as they scored on four straight possessions. Each time the Cavaliers cut the deficit back to single digits the Chiefs responded with a basket of their own. Newson knocked down an 8-foot jumper in the lane with a minute to go until halftime to make it 47-36. The score remained that way as the teams headed to the locker room with Godina's 19 points leading the way.
Kankakee cut into that lead early in the second half before Savannah FitzSimons connected on a 15-foot jumper. Moments later FitzSimons rattled home a three-point shot from the left to give Waubonsee a 13-point lead 54-41, its' biggest lead of the game to that point. After Cavaliers' head coach Casey Meister called timeout, Godina drilled another triple, her fifth of the game to extend the lead to 16 points with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes of action capped off by a lay-in by Josie Rader to push the lead to 65-47. Waubonsee carried a 65-50 lead into the fourth quarter.
Kankakee cut the lead to 10 points with six minutes to go on a left-handed shot off the glass by Kayla Lacombe. Waubonsee then committed four straight turnovers to allow the Cavaliers to get within single digits at 67-59. A pair of free throws by Mengerink put a momentary halt to Kankakee's 9-2 run as the three-minute mark approached. However, a minute later the Cavaliers were unable to take advantage of a shot clock violation by Waubonsee. The Chiefs continued to hold off Kankakee down the stretch with Godina scoring in transition for a 71-60 lead with 90 ticks on the clock left in the game. Newson then clinched the win with a running one-hander off the backboard to make it a 13-point spread with a minute remaining.
Godina tallied five three-point baskets and grabbed five rebounds, handed out two assists, and made two steals to go along with her game-high 28 points. Newson finished with 15 points, seven boards, four steals and three assists, while McNally booked a dozen points and hauled down eight boards. Rader recorded 11 rebounds, FitzSimons contributed seven points, six rebounds and three assists, and Mengerink registered seven points, six boards and blocked three shots.
Waubonsee is on the road for two Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference games this coming week before returning home next Saturday, February 15 to host Sandburg College starting at 2:00 p.m. The Chiefs' men's team hosts Wright College prior to that with a noon tipoff. Those 'live stream' of those games can be viewed at www.Fan.Hudl.com/WaubonseeChiefs