The Carthage College women's basketball team (11-2, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin), ranked 16th in the Jan. 7 "D3hoops.com" poll and 16th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today NCAA Division III poll, got by CCIW-opponent North Park University (8-5, 1-1 CCIW), 71-58, on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.

Carthage opened up a 10-point first-half lead, 19-9, at 9:33.  The Lady Reds led by as much as 12 points, 25-13, at 4:25, before the Vikings closed out the half on a 12-4 run to close to within four points, 29-25.  The second half was the same kind of story.  After Carthage built a 13-point lead, 49-36, at 13:54, North Park whittled it down to six points, 49-43, at 11:16.  A 12-3 Lady Reds run finally iced the game, with  Carthage taking a 17-point lead, 61-44, at 6:39.  The Vikings pulled to within eight on two occasions down the stretch, but the Lady Reds prevailed by 13, 71-58.

Carthage shot 52 percent (22-42), including six-of-16 from three-point range, while North Park shot 44 percent (24-55), including five-of-13 three-pointers.  The Lady Reds out-rebounded the Vikings, 32-26.  Carthage was 21-of-31 from the free-throw line, while North Park connected on five-of-nine.

Four Carthage starters scored in double figures.  Michelle Wenzel (Sr., Darien, Wis./Delavan-Darien) led the way with 19 points on seven-of-10 field goals and five-of-eight free throws, along with six rebounds.  Haley Stercic (Sr., Chicago, Ill./Marist), Stephanie Kuzmanic (Sr., Mount Prospect, Ill./Wheeling) and Kristi Schmidt (Sr., Bloomington, Ill./Normal-Community) scored 12 points each, Stercic on four-of-nine three-pointers and Schmidt on four-of-six field goals, along with a game-high 10 rebounds.  Rachel Torres led North Park with a game-high 20 points on eight-of-13 shooting, while Soly Rohman came off the bench to add 12 points.

"Nobody wants to hear your problems," said Carthage coach Tim Bernero, "but we had a bit of flu bug this week.  I tried to generate some energy for us, but North Park was good enough to make some shots.  They were averaging 84 points a game, and we held them to 58, so that was good.  We also only had one offensive rebound the first half.  We played well enough in the second half to stretch it to double figures.  We needed to make it hard for them to shoot, and I think we did that.  We didn't send them to the line, and made them earn what they got.  We got away with another win."

Carthage plays host to conference-opponent North Central College (8-5, 1-1 CCIW) on Saturday, Jan. 11 in a 5 p.m. game, also at Tarble Arena.