Nov 15, 2011
ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst College women's basketball team opened the 2011-12 season with a 78-70 win over Coe College at R.A. Faganel Hall.
The Bluejays opened up a 44-33 halftime lead and built a 17-point cushion in the second half before holding off a late surge from Coe.
Leading by three with just under five minutes to go in the opening half, the Bluejays closed the half on a 9-1 run to lead 44-33 at the break. Elmhurst quickly pushed its lead to 17 points at 54-37, but Coe whittled the lead down to nine points with 10:18 to play. The Kohawks used a 15-5 run to pull to within a point at 69-68 with 3:18 remaining.
Elmhurst answered back with a lay-up from Meghan Merklein and a bucket by Tess Godhardt to give the Bluejays a 78-73 lead with 2:32 left on the clock. Coe chipped the lead down to three points with 1:18 remaining, but the Bluejays hit 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to put the game out of reach.
Elmhurst finished the game shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the floor, including 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from three-point range. Coe shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the floor, but just 14.3 percent (2-of-14) from beyond the arc. Coe won the rebounding war, pulling down 41 rebounds to Elmhurst's 33.
Merklein led Elmhurst and all scorers by pouring in a game-high 25 points. She shot 9-of-19 from the floor and pulled down a team-leading six rebounds. Devin Vaughn added 10 points and a career high nine assists while committing just three turnovers. Nicki Shaffer came off the bench to hit 4-of-6 shots and total 10 points. Godhardt, Jordan Maisto, and Fiona McMahon scored seven points apiece for the Bluejays. Megan Ney finished with five points and five boards for Elmhurst.
Megan Hayes recorded a double-double to lead Coe. Hayes finished with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and added a game-high 11 rebounds. Kayla Waskow chipped in with 15 points and six boards while Mackenzie Reed came off the bench to score 10.
Elmhurst travels to the Colorado College tournament on November 19-20.
Elmhurst finished the game shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the floor, including 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from three-point range. Coe shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the floor, but just 14.3 percent (2-of-14) from beyond the arc. Coe won the rebounding war, pulling down 41 rebounds to Elmhurst's 33.
Merklein led Elmhurst and all scorers by pouring in a game-high 25 points. She shot 9-of-19 from the floor and pulled down a team-leading six rebounds. Devin Vaughn added 10 points and a career high nine assists while committing just three turnovers. Nicki Shaffer came off the bench to hit 4-of-6 shots and total 10 points. Godhardt, Jordan Maisto, and Fiona McMahon scored seven points apiece for the Bluejays. Megan Ney finished with five points and five boards for Elmhurst.
Megan Hayes recorded a double-double to lead Coe. Hayes finished with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and added a game-high 11 rebounds. Kayla Waskow chipped in with 15 points and six boards while Mackenzie Reed came off the bench to score 10.
Elmhurst travels to the Colorado College tournament on November 19-20.