ELMHURST, Ill. - The 19th-ranked Carroll women's basketball team won their sixth consecutive game and 15th of their last 16 in a hard-fought conference road victory Wednesday night, earning an 85-81 win at Elmhurst. That gives the Pioneers their 20th win of the season, which is just the fourth time the program has accomplished that feat, and first since the 2006-07 season. That also leaves them just two wins shy of the school record of 22 wins with at least two games to play this season.

The game featured nine ties and 10 lead changes, as neither team led by more than five points before halftime. A Natalie Palzkill basket gave the Pioneers a 7-2 advantage in the opening minutes, but just as it looked like Carroll (20-4, 13-2 CCIW) would have an easy night, Elmhurst (12-13, 6-10 CCIW) scored five quick points to tie the game, foreshadowing things to come. Olivia Rangel hit a fastbreak jumper with 19 seconds remaining in the opening half to give Carroll a two-point lead, but a pair of Elmhurst free throws would tie the game at 36 as the teams went to the locker rooms.

Carroll then tried to assert their dominance, scoring the first 12 points of the third quarter to open up a 48-36 lead just two and a half minutes into the second half. The Blue Jays then used a 5-0 run in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter to cut that lead to four entering the final frame. In that final quarter, Elmhurst continued to chip away at that lead, tying the score at 71 on a jumper by Kristin Bukata with four and a half minutes to play. Bukata then hit a free throw to complete the and-one and give the Blue Jays their first lead since the opening half. Carroll answered with a Natalie Gricius layup on the ensuing possession, giving the Pioneers the lead once more. Ryann Wendt came up with a huge three-point play to give the Pioneers a five-point advantage with just over one minute remaining, and Carroll converted 8-of-13 free throws in the final two minutes to seal the game.

The Pioneers shot just 26 percent (5-19) in the first quarter, but finished the game shooting 46 percent (29-63) from the floor. Natalie Gricius led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while also pulling down seven rebounds. Emilie Wizner added 19 points, while Lauren Soyke recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 boards. Seven Pioneers scored at least six points in the balanced attack.

Elmhurst shot 39 percent (30-78) on the night, including 26 percent (10-38) from 3-point range. They were led by Tyreshia Sessions' 10 points and six rebounds. Lindsay Novak added 17 points off the bench, while Bukata and Anna Kleszynski added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Carroll's win, coupled with Wednesday's Illinois Wesleyan win against North Park, keeps the two teams tied for first place atop the conference standings with one regular season game to play. The Pioneers will conclude the regular season Saturday on Senior Day against Augustana (Ill.) at 2 p.m. With a win in that game, Carroll would clinch at least a share of the CCIW regular season championship for the first time in program history. It would also mark Carroll's first conference title since winning the Midwest Conference regular season championship in 2006.