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Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score

Feb. 10, 2009-- Elmhurst College used a late game surge to pull ahead of homestanding North Central College; knocking off the Cardinals 58-55 in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin women's basketball game and evening the season series at one apiece. Brianne Parra (Sr., Justice, Ill./Argo) finished with her third double-double of the season in a tight game that saw neither team hold a lead of more than seven points.

Ahead by one, the Cardinals used a pair of free throws courtesy of Jackie Errico (So., Blue Island, Ill./Marian Catholic), and a Parra three-pointer to push the lead to six at 48-42 with 5:12 remaining in the game. The Bluejays would respond over the next four minutes, retaking the lead for the first time in the second half with 2:29 remaining thanks to a Chamele Harris layup. Elmhurst would extend its lead to five points with 31 seconds to go after Lyndsie Long sunk a pair of free throws, completing a 15-4 Bluejay run. North Central would cut the lead to just two points after a Parra three with six seconds left before a Long free throw and a Brittany Bobruk steal, sealed the game.

North Central took a 25-21 lead into the break at halftime after closing out the half on a 10-3 run, that including a Parra layup as time expired.

Parra led the Cardinal scoring effort with 18 points, including a perfect two-for-two from beyond the arc while also grabbing a team-high 10 boards. Gia Navarra (Sr., Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) finished the night with nine points, with all nine points coming in the first half, while also recording nine rebounds and a team-high three steals. Amber Cibrario (Sr., Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) turned in a game-high four assists while Meghan McGuire (So., Elgin, Ill./Central) had a game-high five blocks.

Long led the Bluejays, recording a double-double after grabbing 10 boards and scoring a game-high 22 points. Meghan Merklein added 12 points with Megan Ney adding eight.

Neither team was able to find a rhythm from the floor; North Central shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59) while Elmhurst didn't fair much better hitting 36.1 percent (22-for-61) of its shots.

With the loss, North Central falls to 10-10 overall and 5-5 in CCIW play while Elmhurst improves to 12-9 overall and 5-5 in conference action. The loss throws North Central, Elmhurst and Millikin into a three-way tie for fourth place, a key position to hold as only the top four team's advance to the conference postseason tournament. The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, February 14, taking on Carthage College inside Gregory Arena with tip-off at 2 p.m. Saturday also coincides with the annual Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) "Pink Zone" Game as fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness.