Knox pulls away late to top Eureka

EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College women's basketball senior guard Emily Camden (Green Valley, Ill./Midwest Central) scored 25 points, while junior forward Michaela Balducci (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) picked up her second consecutive double-double of the season, but the visiting Knox College Prairie Fire ran away late with an 88-82 non-conference victory, Sunday afternoon in the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.

EC freshman guard Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana) sparked the Red Devils off the bench, adding a personal-best 14 points on 5-for-11 shooting from the field, including a pair of made 3-pointers. Balducci paced the Red Devils with 13 rebounds and sophomore guard Kerrigan Dura (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) grabbed a career-high 10 boards. Junior guard Luci Weis (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) chipped in 17 points and dished a team-high five assists.

KC's Karlie Thorn tallied a team-high 23 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field, and Jamie Blue supplied 11 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double. The Prairie Fire committed 27 turnovers to Eureka's 23, but outrebounded the Red Devils 65-53.

Eureka College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage – .344 (31-90)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .378 (14-37)
Free Throw Percentage - .353 (6-17)
Camden (25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks)
Balducci (19 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals)
Sarnes (14 points, rebounds)
 
Knox College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .390 (32-82)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .182 (6-33)
Free Throw Percentage - .600 (18-30)
 
What's Next?
Eureka (0-2) will continue their season-opening three game home stretch with a contest against non-conference opponent Millikin University on Tuesday. Tip-off against the Big Blue is scheduled for 6 p.m.