Elmhurst, Ill. – The Carroll University Pioneers women's basketball team took a tough overtime loss on the chin tonight, going down at Elmhurst, 78-87 (OT).
Brooke Foster had career highs in points, minutes, field goals made, and rebounds on her way to her 21 point, seven rebound affair off the bench.
Katie Evans knocked down a career high five three pointers on her way to her career high 17 points in 31 minutes.
Alyssa Cruz added 13 points to go along with her team high six assists and eight rebounds.
After being down all game, the Pioneers (8-14, 3-10 CCIW) outscored the Bluejays 20-10 in fourth quarter. The women were evenly matched in rebounding margin, but took advantage of second chance points, including eight second chance points in the second half. Despite Foster's career night, Elmhurst's bench claimed the win tonight, outscoring Carroll 42-35. The Pioneer's 19 turnovers proved costly as the Bluejays claimed 22 points off turnovers, including 3 in overtime.
The Pios and the Bluejays traded jabs to kick off the contest, including two of Evan's threes in the first three minutes of action. After giving up two straight three point plays, the Pios found themselves down five. A Foster three and a
Kate Christian layup (6pts, 5 fouls) brought the game back close. Evans knocked down her third three of the quarter to cut a Bluejay lead to only two. The contest stayed close into the second quarter, before a 9-2 run silenced the Pios going into halftime. Foul trouble began to set in early, with the Pios committing 13 fouls in the first half.
Megan Madsen (7pts, 5 fouls) kicked off the second half with an and-one of her own to energize a 7-0 run in the first two minutes, forcing Elmhurst into a timeout. The Bluejays responded with a 10-0 run of their own before foster broke the scoring drought with a layup. After many attempts, the women couldn't dig out of their hole. The fourth quarter began with
Elmhurst grabbing five straight points, before a 16-2 Pioneer spread brought them up one with under two to play. Evans and Foster knocked down three shots behind the line to give them the lead. After a battle of free throws, Cruz gabbed a layup with 19 seconds remaining to bring the game to OT. Cruz scored all five points for the Pios in the overtime battle, but seven of Elmhurst's 15 overtime points came off free throws.
The women finish the rest of the season in Van Male fieldhouse, starting against North Central this Saturday. Last time out the Pioneers were edged in the final quarter against the Cardinals, 60-62. Evans led the way in that contest with 13 points in 29 minutes of action. Stay up to date on Carroll women's basketball this season by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics).
