By: Illinois College was eliminated from MWC Tournament contention with a 52-47 loss in overtime on the road at Ripon on Saturday.
Box Score RIPON, Wis. – The Illinois College women's basketball team had its postseason aspirations dashed on Saturday afternoon following a 52-47 overtime loss on the road to Ripon College. The Lady Blues and Red Hawks each entered the day in the same situation, needing to win out in their final three regular season games while requiring a loss from Lake Forest College in each of its final three games. After a 45-minute battle, Ripon will take its Midwest Conference Tournament hopes at least one game further. The Lady Blues drop to 10-11 (7-9 MWC), while the Red Hawks up their mark to 12-9 (8-8 MWC).
The game got off to an excellent start for Illinois College in the first quarter. Layups from
Sydney Lett and
Jill Friedrich got the Lady Blues going, and with the game tied at 4-4,
Hanna Bergkoetter dropped in six straight to give IC a 10-6 lead. A Friedrich three-pointer with 5:27 left in the quarter increased it to 13-6 and the lead was 15-9 at the end of one as Illinois College held Ripon without a point for the final five minutes.
The Red Hawks answered back by scoring the first five points of the second quarter until Lett drained a three-ball to put Illinois College back up by four. Later on in the quarter,
Jaicie Halleman would get in on the act with a long-range jumper to make it 21-16. Four straight from Ripon made it 21-20 with less than 30 seconds to go until halftime, but Friedrich was fouled with one second left on the clock and she made one of two to give IC a 22-20 edge at the intermission.
Ripon took its first lead of the game, 26-24, with 6:50 to go in the third quarter, but seniors Bergkoetter and Friedrich responded with consecutive field goals to put Illinois College back on top.
Brielle Greenleaf snared an offensive rebound in the final minute of the quarter and scored on jumper to keep the Lady Blues out in front, 31-30, heading into the final quarter of regulation.
Things looked good for Illinois College early on in the fourth. Greenleaf scored the first three points to increase the margin to 34-30 and later
Shannen Quehl would knock in a jumper to make it 36-31 with seven minutes to play. Ripon would rally to within a point on three separate occasions, but each time the Lady Blues kept the Red Hawks at bay. Megan Jensen connected on a jumper with 3:24 remaining to slice IC's lead to 40-39, but Friedrich made two free throws with 2:08 to play to put Illinois College back up by three. In the final two minutes, Ripon would get fouled and make one of two, then tie the game on a layup with 21 seconds left to send the game to an extra session knotted at 42-42.
Bergkoetter notched the opening basket of overtime to give Illinois College the lead one final time, but a 6-0 run by the Red Hawks put them up by four with 2:44 to play.
Mallory Battefeld made one of two at the stripe with 1:46 remaining, and Lett pulled the Lady Blues within two on a jumper with 20 ticks left, but Ripon closed it out by hitting three of four at the line in the final seconds.
Friedrich led all scorers in the game with 13 points and added a team-high eight rebounds as well. Bergkoetter was the other IC player who scored in double-figures, ending with 10. Lett added eight points and five assists.
Illinois College comes home to Sherman Gymnasium for Senior Night on Feb. 17. Bergkoetter and Friedrich will be honored before the game when the Lady Blues take on Monmouth College beginning at 7:30 p.m.
