CHICAGO - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team extended its win streak to three with a 55-48 victory over North Park University Saturday, Feb. 13. Illinois Wesleyan improved to 3-1 on the year, while North Park dropped to 3-3.

Senior Riley Brovelli (Oglesby, Ill.-LaSalle-Peru) was the catalyst for the Titans, recording the 12th double-double of her career as she recorded season-highs of 15 points and 13 rebounds. She also added three assists, a steal, and a block. Fellow senior Kendall Sosa (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) finished with a team-high 18 points, all of which came in the second half, and registered a team-high four steals. She also tied Brovelli for the team lead with three assists.

Illinois Wesleyan benefited from strong contributions off the bench in the win. Junior Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart Griffin) scored seven points, sophomore Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) tallied five points, and freshman Kathleen Stanley (Leawood, Kan.-Shawnee Mission East)  and junior Kaia Bowen (Rantoul, Ill.-St. Thomas More) added three-points apiece.

A 6-0 IWU run paired with a four-minute long NPU scoring drought allowed the Titans to take a 10-8 advantage into the second period. 

The Vikings, who dictated much of the pace of the first half, grabbed a two-point lead with a three-pointer by Emily Czuhajewski with 5:55 remaining in the half. North Park's lead was short-lived however, as Stanley knocked down a triple and Brovelli followed with a jumper from the elbow to put the Titans on top, 18-15. 

In the half's final two minutes, Bowen found Brovelli for a bucket and Eck converted a layup on IWU's next trip down the court to put the Titans up four, 25-21, at the midpoint.

Sosa's first points of the day came on an old-fashioned three-point play in the opening minutes as she drew a foul on a drive to the bucket. Sosa converted the three-point play at the charity stripe to put Illinois Wesleyan ahead by eight, 28-21.

With Sosa heating up, the Titans' lead grew to double digits, 32-22, halfway through the third quarter.

North Park battled back, pulling within two, 32-30, as Jayla Johnson converted an and-one opportunity with 3:33 to go in the frame, but Heller halted NPU's scoring run with a driving layup.

Illinois Wesleyan had its lead cut to six early in the fourth, but the Titans did not waver, upping their lead to as many as 12 before leaving the Windy City with a 55-48 victory.

The Titans are scheduled for a 10-day break, as IWU's next game is not until Tuesday, Feb. 23, when North Central College visits the Shirk Center. TIpoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.