FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Feb. 17, 2009 -- The North Central College women's basketball team got back on track Tuesday night, picking up the 78-60 win over North Park University to snap a two-game slide and sweep the season series in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin women's basketball game at the NPU Gymnasium.
Jackie Errico (So., Blue Island, Ill./Marian Catholic) notched her sixth double-double on the season while
Meghan McGuire (So., Elgin, Ill./Central) led the scoring charge with a game-high 19 points.
Amber Cibrario (Sr., Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove, Ill.) scored the games first bucket as the Cardinals flexed their muscles in the early going, jumping out to the lead and never looking back, taking a 16-point, 37-21 lead into the locker room at half.
North Central would maintain a comfortable lead the entire second half, leading by as many as 29 points after an Alex Ornelas (So., Clinton, Ill./Clinton) layup with 5:32 remaining gave the visitors the 29-point safety net. All 13 Cardinals would see the floor in the second stanza as the team cruised to the 18-point victory.
McGuire led the Cardinal scoring effort with 19 points, shooting eight-for-13 from the field while Errico chipped in 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. It was Errico's sixth double-double of the season as she also added a team-high three steals. Mallory Carlini (Jr., Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook) came off the bench and added a career-high nine points and 11 boards while Nicole Kemme (Sr., Teutopolis, Ill./Olney Central) tied a career-high after dishing out five assists on the night.
LaRae Kostreva powered the Vikings with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Danielle Bradley chipped in 16 points. Amanda Phillips ended the game with 10 boards and nine points while leading North Park in steals with three.
For the sixth time this season the Cardinals won the turnover battle (15-to-22) and are now 5-1 in those contests. As a team, North Central shot a respectable 47.6 percent (30-for-63) from the field while outrebounding the Vikings by a 40-33 margin.
With the win, North Central improves to 11-11 overall and 6-6 in CCIW play, sweeping the season series for the second consecutive season. The Cardinals recorded the 80-44 blowout win at Gregory Arena in the team's first meeting on January 20. The loss drops North Park to 3-19 and 0-12 in conference as the Vikings suffer their 12th straight defeat. Next up for the Cardinals is Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday in Bloomington, Ill. where the team will look to surpass last seasons win total and send the Titans its first loss of the season.
