Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. - The Elmhurst College women's basketball team ran its winning streak to seven games by upending 12th-ranked Carthage College 73-65. With the win, the Bluejays improved to 10-4 overall and 3-0 in the CCIW.

Lyndsie Long and Meghan Merklein scored 25 points apiece to guide Elmhurst past the Lady Reds. Long, Merklein, and Megan Ney (12 points), nearly outscored the entire Carthage team (65-62). 

The Bluejays raced out to a 7-0 lead before Carthage (11-3, 1-2 CCIW) answered back to open up a 30-25 lead with 6:30 to play in the first half. Elmhurst responded with a 13-0 run to grab an eight-point advantage with 2:30 remaining. The Bluejays carried a 40-35 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Elmhurst jumped on Carthage early in the second half, pushing its lead to 13 points (54-41) just 5:30 into the second half. The Lady Reds stormed back with a 16-3 run to knot the score at 57-all with nine minutes left on the clock.

Buckets by Ney and Merklein gave Elmhurst a 61-57 lead, but Carthage continued to keep pace. Dani Ripkey splashed home a 3-pointer with 4:40 remaining to pull the Lady Reds to within a point. 

A 5-0 run by Elmhurst gave the Bluejays a 68-62 cushion with three minutes to go, but Katie Klemke sliced the lead in half with a 3-pointer with 1:44 to go. 

The two teams traded turnovers before the Bluejays missed a jumper with 30 seconds to go. Kelsey Monroe helped preserve the win for Elmhurst when the stripped Ripkey and fed Merklein for a lay-up with 18 ticks to play.  Merklein hit three free throws down the stretch to seal the game for the Bluejays.

The Bluejays shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor and 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from downtown. The Bluejays were solid from the charity stripe, hitting 20-of-24 free throw attempts (83.3 percent).

Carthage shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field. The Lady Reds hit 8-of-16 3-point attempts (50.0).

Elmhurst also enjoyed a 39-30 edge on the glass. The Bluejays made the most of 11 offensive rebounds, scoring 12 second-chance points. Carthage was held to just two second-chance points on only six offensive boards. 

Long surpassed the 1,500 career point mark (1,521) with her fourth point of the game. She shot 9-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from downtown. Merklein hit 7-of-12 shots and converted 11-of-12 free throws to total 25 points. Merklein added eight rebonds and a game-high five assists in the victory. Ney totaled 12 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. 

Klemke led the Lady Reds in the loss with 19 points. Klemke shot 7-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Ripkey added 13 points while Heather Gilmore totaled 13. Diana Jacklin finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and four steals before fouling out in the closing seconds. 

Elmhurst plays host to top-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University on Sunday, January 17.