Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Jan 19, 2022) - Playing their third game in five days, the North Central College women's basketball team used an 8-2 run in the fourth quarter to force overtime against North Park University, but ultimately fell 79-84 on Wednesday evening.

The Vikings opened up the game by scoring 13 of the first 15 points before Jessica Kowalczyk scored five in a row to cut the deficit to six. Elle Sutter forced a North Park turnover and found Stephanie Kowalczyk for a fastbreak layup. Both teams traded baskets as the Vikings held a 22-15 lead after the first quarter.

Sutter knocked down a deep three to bring North Central back within four, 22-26. Each team proceeded to go on a 7-0 run before North Park scored a basket with 45-seconds left to go up 42-35 at the half.

North Park used a 7-0 rally early in the second half to increase their lead to 12. Megan McClure scored four straight points to claw the Cardinals back into the game, 48-56 with 1:59 left in the third quarter. J. Kowalczyk scored a pull-up jumper to shrink the North Park advantage to seven heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation.

After the Vikings went up by 10, North Central responded with five points of their own as each team went back and forth. With 3:33 left, S. Kowalczyk sparked a rally for the Cardinals as they scored the next three field goals, bringing themselves within three, 69-66. The North Central defense stepped up, not allowing the Vikings to score in the final 2:51 of regulation. After a Cardinals timeout, Allison Pearson drew a Vikings foul as she put up a three-point attempt. Needing to hit all three to force overtime, the senior knocked each of them down, extending the game to a final five-minute period.

Jayla Johnson capped off a 7-1 run to open up overtime for North Park. Mitrese Smith and Sutter hit back-to-back field goals to give the Cardinals a chance. With one minute to play, North Central was down by three, but North Park hit just enough free throws down the stretch to secure the 84-79 win.

J. Kowalczyk scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Cardinals. Pearson added 13 while McClure posted 12 points and seven rebounds. The North Central bench outscored North Park 43-2 and shot 46% as a team from the field. Esther Miller (25) and Johnson (24) led the way for the Vikings in the scoring department.

The Cardinals travel to Kenosha, Wis. on Saturday to face Carthage College at 5 PM. North Central beat the Firebirds 50-40 on Dec. 4th at home. To find links for live stats and live video, click HERE.

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