Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. - The Elmhurst College women's basketball team dropped to 1-2 on the season following a 61-59 loss to Saint Mary's University (Minn.) at the University of Chicago Midway Classic.

After scoring just 34 points in a loss to the University of Chicago on Saturday, Saint Mary's (1-2) raced out to a 40-27 first half lead. Saint Mary's was red hot in the first half shooting 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the floor, including 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from downtown.

Elmhurst came out strong after the break, opening the second half on a 25-9 run to open up a 52-49 lead with 8:22 left to play. The Bluejays opened up a four-point lead after a Lyndsie Long bucket with 5:30 left to play. The Bluejays continued to hold a four point lead with under three minutes left on the clock, but Saint Mary's Jessica Thone knocked down a 3-pointer and was fouled in the process. Thone converted the rare four-point play to knot the score at 57-57. 

After an Elmhurst miss, Jamie Stefely put Saint Mary's back on top with lay-up. The Bluejays tied the game at 59-all with 55 seconds to play on a jumper by Long. An Elmhurst foul sent Cherie Kulig to the foul line with 28 seconds left. Kulig hit both free throws to give Saint Mary's a 61-59 lead. The Bluejays had two chances on their next possession, but could not score the game-tying bucket. Saint Mary's missed a pair of free throws with Long grabbing the rebound. Elmhurst had one final chance to tie the score but Long's jumper was no good.

The Bluejays finished the game shooting 35.9 percent (23-of-64) from the floor, but only 30 percent (3-of-10) from downtown. Saint Mary's cooled off in the second half and finished the game shooting 44.4 percent from the floor (24-of-54) and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from downtown. 

Long and Meghan Merklein led Elmhurst with 19 points apiece in the loss. Megan Ney added 13 points and and a team-high seven rebounds. 

Saint Mary's had a balanced attack as all nine players scored in the victory. Thone led the charge with 12 points while Jess Miller chipped in with 10. Renee Pecarina added nine points while Kulig and Stefely added eight points apiece.

The Bluejays will try to snap their two-game skid when they travel to Franklin College on Tuesday, November 24.