JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's basketball team was in command for more than 30 minutes on Tuesday night, but Grinnell College controlled the closing stages of the game and earned a 57-52 win. With the loss, IC drops to 6-9 (2-6 Midwest Conference) on the season.
The Lady Blues outscored Grinnell by five points in both the first and second quarters to take a 34-24 halftime lead. In the first quarter, the Pioneers led by a score of 15-11 with less than two minutes to go before IC ended on a 9-0 run. Three free throws from
Carly Cameron and
Krista Bass pulled the Lady Blues within one before a Cameron triple put IC on top. Before the quarter was over,
Grace Yaunches connected on a three to put the Lady Blues up, 20-15.
The Illinois College lead reached double-digits after
Sydney Lett had a steal and fast-break layup to put IC on top, 27-17, with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Grinnell answered with a 7-0 run to get within three, but the Lady Blues ended the half on a 7-0 run that included another Yaunches triple. At the half, Illinois College's lead was 34-24.
A low-scoring third quarter ended with Illinois College still holding a 10-point lead. A
Krista Bass jumper midway through the quarter gave the Lady Blues their largest lead at 42-29, but that was followed by four scoreless minutes before Yaunches hit a three in the final minute to make it 45-35 heading into the fourth.
As the final quarter began, a
Junie Zirkelbach free throw pushed the IC lead to 46-35, however that would be answered by an 11-0 run from Grinnell to tie the score at 46-46 before
Brielle Greenleaf hit another free throw to put the Lady Blues up by a point. Following a brief Pioneer lead, Yaunches hit yet another three-pointer to give Illinois College a 50-48 advantage, but that turned out to be IC's lone made field goal of the fourth quarter. Two free throws from Hanna Kessel with less than two minutes to go gave Grinnell the lead for good and the Pioneers extended their margin at the charity stripe in the final seconds.
Cameron poured in 15 points along with six rebounds on the night for the Lady Blues. Yaunches hit four three-pointers for 12 points. Lett had eight points along with team highs of seven rebounds and three assists.
Illinois College remains at home this weekend with a Jan. 12 game against Ripon College at 1 p.m.
