Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Nov. 22, 2022) - Securing their first win of the season, the North Central College women's basketball team used a 23-13 final quarter to defeat Benedictine University 62-59 on Tuesday night inside Gregory Arena.
Abby Davidson kicked off the scoring as she nailed two jump shots in the first three minutes of play. The teams traded baskets until a six-point swing from the Eagles gave them a 14-11 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Natalie Stavropoulos converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 6:37 left in the first half. Less than a minute later, Stavropoulos sank a three-pointer to bring the score to 26-21 as the Eagles held a slight lead. Both teams' defenses stepped up as neither side saw a shot go in the hoop for four minutes. A layup with four seconds left to go in the half put Benedictine ahead by nine, 32-23 at the break.
After the Eagles took a 12-point lead, a basket by Allison Pearson and free throws from Megan Duffy and Davidson cut the lead to seven with 3:04 left in the third quarter. Duffy sank a pair of free throws before making a fastbreak layup to bring the Cardinals within striking distance entering the fourth quarter, down 46-39.
A Duffy jumper followed by a three-pointer from Lexie Hernandez cut the Eagles' lead to two, 46-44. Benedictine hit a pair of free throws before a Pearson deep ball put the Cardinals within one. Hernandez knocked down a free throw to tie the game at 50 with 5:28 to play.
Giving North Central their first lead since the first few minutes of play, Hernandez hit a three, followed by a successful trip to the line from Stavropoulos. With 49 seconds left, the Eagles knotted the contest at 59. Again, Stavropoulos hit both free throws to clinch the Cardinals' win, 62-59.
The Cardinals host Concordia University Wisconsin on Saturday evening in their final game before CCIW action begins. That game is set to tip off at 5 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.
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