Eureka falls to Westminster in SLIAC action

EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College women's basketball junior forward Michaela Balducci (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) tallied her sixth double-double of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, but the preseason St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference favorite Westminster Blue Jays came away with the conference victory, 57-42, Wednesday evening inside the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.

Eureka led very early in the contest, ahead for the last time by a 7-4 score with 6:50 to play in the first quarter. But the Blue Jays forced 14 EC turnovers on the way to building up a 33-24 halftime edge.

The Red Devils sliced the deficit to 39-32 with 4:02 remaining in the third quarter and trailed by only eight, 43-35, heading into the final ten minutes of play.

Junior guard Luci Weis (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) knocked down a three-point field goal in the opening series to bring the Red Devils within five points. But Westminster used a quick 6-1 run to increase their lead back to double figures (49-39) at the 5:39 mark and not look back.

WC's Kasey Gatson scored a game-high 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field for the Blue Jays.

Eureka College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage -.275 (14-51)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .190 (4-21)
Free Throw Percentage – .741 (10-14)
Balducci (13 points, 13 rebounds)
Camden (13 points, 7 rebounds)
Kelsey Forysthe (7 points, 4 steals)

Westminster College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .339 (20-59)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .200 (4-20)
Free Throw Percentage - .650 (13-20)
Gatson (21 points, 2 steals)
Mackenzie Haddox (13 points, 6 rebounds)
Sadie Theroff (9 points, 4 rebounds)
 
What's Next?
Eureka hits the road Saturday for a conference showdown at Iowa Wesleyan. Tip-off against the Tigers is set for 1 p.m. in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.