GRINNELL, Iowa – Wednesday night's game at Darby Gymnasium was huge in more ways than one for the Grinnell College women's basketball team.
The Pioneers' 78-63 decision over Illinois College not only gave coach Dana Harrold her 100th career victory, but also kept Grinnell on pace to qualify for the Midwest Conference Tournament.
Harrold, who took over as coach at Grinnell in 2013, is the winningest coach in program history.
The win helped Grinnell draw even with the Lady Blues in the MWC standings at 8-6, putting both in third place. Grinnell improved to 13-9 overall and Illinois College fell to 13-10.
Grinnell's defense was great all night, forcing 23 turnovers with the aid of 11 steals and holding the Lady Blues to 32 percent shooting from the field.
Erin Lillis '24 had a spectacular night that included a seven-steal performance, which ranks seventh in program history.
Grinnell held command nearly the entire game, with the Lady Blues' final lead coming at 9-8 midway through the first quarter.
The Pioneers answered with a 10-3 run that began with a jumper and 3-pointer by Nikki Ware '25. After a trey from the Lady Blues, Lillis took over with a 3-pointer and two free throws for an 18-12 lead.
Grinnell kept it up from there, leading 24-17 after one period and stretching it to 40-31 by halftime. The Pioneers essentially put the game away at the start of the third quarter with a 10-point run. Sara Booher '25 began with a layup, Eva Carchidi '24 and Skylar Thomas '26 drained 3-pointers and Lillis sank two free throws for a 50-31 lead with 5:57 remaining.
Grinnell was ahead 57-46 after three quarters and never let Illinois College close the gap after that to secure the win.
Lillis led Grinnell with 25 points to move up to seventh on the Pioneers' career scoring chart with 1,140 points, passing Jenny Wood. Lillis also had career-highs for assists with seven and blocks with two.
Ware and Booher each had 12 points, while Bailey Strovers '27 had a career-best two blocks.
During the game, Lillis jumped up to eighth on Grinnell's all-time chart for free throws made with 243 and 11th for assists (199) and steals (109). She and Carchidi are tied for 14th for career 3-pointers with 67, while Booher moved to 12th in career rebounds with 459.
Grinnell continues its march for a potential MWC Tourney berth next Wednesday at Beloit College. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.