(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team pulled out a thrilling 86-82 victory over McHenry County College on Thursday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (12-10, 3-4) connected on 20 of 29 foul shots, including six of their final seven attempts to earn the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) win over the Scots (9-13, 2-5). The victory snapped a three-game losing streak and was a bit of redemption for Waubonsee after McHenry registered an improbable 70-68 win over the Chiefs eight days ago in Crystal Lake, scoring seven unanswered points in the final seconds.
A three-pointer from the top of the key by Waubonsee's Emily Mengerink tied the game at 3-all in the opening minute. But McHenry answered with a trio of three-point baskets, including two by Zoie Lewis, on the way to taking a 14-3 lead. Waubonsee then got on track as Anna-Marie Godina and Josie Rader both knocked down treys to get the Chiefs within 17-12. A running one-hander in the lane by Anyae Newson helped keep Waubonsee within striking distance before the Scots closed out the quarter on an 11-2 run to grab a 31-19 lead. McHenry shot 50 percent (9 of 18) from the field, including 60 percent (6 of 10) from long range in the first quarter.
The Chiefs started the second period on a 7-0 run and trailed just 35-30 midway through the quarter. But that was as close as Waubonsee could get as McHenry built the lead back up. The Scots lead reached 11 points on a long three-pointer by Isabella Frohling before Rader nailed an equalizer three moments later. A pull up, seven-foot jumper by Newson closed out the first half scoring with McHenry taking a 47-39 lead into the break.
The teams traded baskets for the first three minutes of the second half with McHenry holding a 55-45 advantage until Rader splashed another three from in front of the Chiefs' bench. A turn around, five-foot jumper by Makayla McNally and a trey by Godina cut the deficit to 60-56 with four and half minutes remaining in the third period. A close-range basket by Abi Dietlin a couple minutes later kept Waubonsee within four points at 66-62. Moments later McNally scored on an up and under move as Waubonsee cut the deficit to one point. A free throw by Newson then tied the game and Godina put the Chiefs in front with a pair of charity tosses with 0:03 left as Jim Williams' crew closed out the period on an 8-0 run.
Waubonsee carried that slim 68-66 lead into the final stanza. The Chiefs extended the lead to 72-66 a minute later before the Scots battled back to tie the game with a 6-0 run with six minutes to go. Lewis then connected on two free throws to put McHenry back in front. Chloe Kmiec then drilled two shots from long range on back-to-back trips down the court to suddenly give the Scots an 80-75 lead with four minutes remaining. After a Chiefs' timeout Mengerink hit a trey to make it a one-point game with three minutes to go. McNally then tied the score at 80 with a free throw as the game headed into the final two minutes.
A running one-hander off the glass by Lewis put McHenry ahead with a minute to go. McNally then scored on a left-hander spin move with 0:50 left to tie the game once more. Kmiec then misfired on a 12-foot jumper as Savannah FitzSimons grabbed the rebound. Williams called timeout with 0:22 remaining for the Chiefs to devise a plan for the potential game-winning shot. But the Scots elected to foul right away instead, sending Godina to the line where she sank both to give Waubonsee an 84-82 lead with 0:16 to go. On the ensuing McHenry possession Lewis was off the mark on a three-point attempt and McNally went up high to snag the rebound with 0:07 to go. Another foul sent Rader to the line where she calmly sank both free throws with 0:05.9 remaining. A final missed shot by Kmiec and rebound by McNally secured the win.
McNally booked a double-double scoring 21 points and hauling down 11 rebounds to go along with six assists. Godina also tallied 21 points, handed out six assists and snagged six boards. Rader chipped in with 16 points and corralled five rebounds. Newson finished with 10 points and three steals, Mengerink added nine points and three steals, while FitzSimons grabbed eight boards and dished out four assists. Waubonsee is in action again on Tuesday, February 4 when they host Oakton Community College beginning at 5:15 p.m. The men's contest is scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. that evening. The Chiefs then go on the road to Elgin Community College next Thursday, February 6, before returning home on Saturday, February 8 to take on Kankakee Community College with a 1;00 p.m. tipoff.