Women's Basketball Outduels Crusaders in Critical WHAC Battle

(Livonia, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar women's basketball team jumped out to an early lead, lost that lead, but pulled away late to secure an important WHAC victory over the Madonna University Crusaders Wednesday evening in Livonia.

Taedom Stein got the Cougars on the board, and after a free throw and a Samantha Hoelscher layup, Cleary would lead 5-0.  A couple minutes later, a Mileisha Rodriguez layup gave the Cougars their largest lead of the first half at 11-4.  Madonna would cut the lead to two points over two minutes of play, but Cleary would respond with a 5-0 run to retake the seven point advantage.  Madonna would go on another run to finish the quarter, but Cleary would lead 18-17 through the first ten minutes of play.

The second and third quarters were a back and forth affair, as the largest lead either team was able to muster was four points during that span.  Cleary held a 32-28 lead after Sydney McCaig hit a long two, and Riley Merryfield knocked down a three.  The Crusaders would tie the game, and then take the lead after a foul was called with one second on the clock, to go into the half with a 36-34 score.

Amy Jackson started the second half on fire, hitting back to back threes, but Madonna would answer with a basket of their own on each alternating possession.  After the Crusaders took the lead with 1:13 to play in the third quarter, Cleary would answer with a Samantha Hoelscher layup, to make the score 51-50.  Madonna would tie the game after making one of two free throws, but Hoelscher would give the Cougars the lead after making a layup as time expired in the quarter.  

Cleary would jump out to a four point fourth quarter lead, while the Crusaders stormed back to tie the game.  Samantha Hoelscher would give the Cougars the lead for good with 5:41 to play in the game, after making a layup to make the score 57-55.  An Izzy Dugal three pointer with 3:29 made it a five point game, and Cleary would make their free throws down the stretch to extend the lead, ultimately taking the game by a 78-69 score.

Cleary would go 12/15 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter alone, and shot 21/26 from the stripe for the game.  The game featured twelve lead changes and seven ties.  

Samantha Hoelscher had a game high 25 points to go with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and two steals.  Izzy Dugal was 7/9 from the floor to score 17 points with 4 rebounds.  Amy Jackson had 14 points with 3 threes.  Taedom Stein fell just short of a triple-double with 11 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds.

The win was Cleary's 7th of the season, and set a new program best for wins in a season.  Cleary is now 7-10, 6-4 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will return to Gannon Gymnasium on Saturday, January 18, when they take on the Aquinas College Saints at 1:00 PM.