ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst women's basketball team dropped its home-opening contest of the 2018-19 season, falling to fifth-ranked University of Chicago 73-54.
 
Elmhurst (3-3) fell behind 5-0 to start the contest before surging back with a 18-10 run over the next five minutes to build an 18-15 lead after a layup from Lisa Logan. Chicago answered back with a 6-0 run to move in front by three with 29 seconds left. Lisa Logan hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to bring Elmhurst to within a point (21-20) after the first quarter.
 
The Bluejays scored the opening bucket of the second quarter to move back in front, but Chicago (6-0) ripped off an 11-3 run to build an eight-point cushion with just under four minutes left in the half. Elmhurst closed to within five points following a Kellee Clay bucket with just over 1:30 left, but Chicago scored the final four points of the half to take a 39-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
Chicago opened up a 16-point cushion with a 7-0 run to start the third quarter. Elmhurst brought the deficit down to just six points late in the quarter and trailed by 10 after 30 minutes (52-42). The Bluejays closed to within four points with 8:35 left to play in the contest, but Chicago responded pushing its lead back to 12 points with six minutes remaining. Elmhurst came as close as nine points down the stretch before the Maroons used a 9-0 run to put the contest out of reach en route the 19-point win.
 
Elmhurst shot just 27.5 percent from the floor, hitting 19-of-69 shots. The Bluejays struggled from three-point distance, hitting just 3-of-26 attempts (11.5 percent). Elmhurst's bench outscored Chicago's reserved 26-16 in the loss.
 
Marissa Urso came off the bench to lead Elmhurst in the loss, scoring 18 points while shooting 6-of-12 from the floor. Lisa Logan added nine points while Kelly Weyhrich and Clay totaled six points apiece. Kween Jean led the team in rebounds, finishing with seven.
 
Chicago shot .361 from the field, hitting 22-of-61 attempts in the contest. The Maroons knocked down only 2-of-17 attempts (.118) from three-point range. Chicago took advantage of 15 offensive rebounds to score 20 second chance points.
 
Mia Farrell paced Chicago in the win with 19 points while Taylor Lake scored 14 and Miranda Burt totaled 13.
 
Elmhurst opens CCIW play on Wednesday, December 5, by hosting Illinois Wesleyan University.