KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The 13th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team wrapped up its trip to the Sunshine State Monday, Dec. 29 at the Kissimmee Civic Center with a loss to Wisconsin Lutheran College, 71-61. The Titans dropped to 7-4 with the defeat, while the Warriors climbed to 7-4 as the two teams combined for more than 40 fouls. The contest marked the final non-conference game for IWU, which has played one of the toughest schedules in Division III this season.
Senior
Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) needed just one steal to break the program's all-time theft mark and accomplished the feat at the four-minute mark of the first quarter. The senior snatched her 297th career steal, overtaking the No. 1 spot on IWU's all-time list from Rebekah Ehresman who set the record in 2018.
It was a cold start to the game for both sides, as freshman Caitlin Leyden's (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) pair of free throws gave IWU a 2-0 lead almost three minutes into the contest. Another Leyden jumper later in the quarter, along with a quick steal and layup from senior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) gave the Titans their largest lead of the first half, 15-8. However, WLU ended the first quarter on a 12-4 run to take a 20-17 advantage heading into the second quarter.
A quick three-ball from freshman Asia Kobylarczyk (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) off of a Leyden offensive board to start the second quarter tied it up, but the Warriors responded. A last second triple to end the first half gave WLU a five-point advantage, 32-27, headed into the intermission.
A frenzy of Titan fouls in the fourth quarter and following Warrior free throws kept WLU out of reach. IWU got within five points with a minute remaining after a Kobylarczyk steal turned into a fastbreak opportunity for senior Sara Balli (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park), but the Warriors converted 14 freebies in the fourth quarter alone to seal the victory.
Bardic paced the Titans with 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. She added four boards, three steals, and an assist. Joining her in double figures were Kobylarczyk and Balli, who totaled 13 and 11 points, respectively. Kobylarczyk was also IWU's top rebounder with seven caroms and also led the team with four steals and three rejections.
Overall, Illinois Wesleyan converted 32.8 percent of its shots, going 20-for-61. The Green and White were 7-of-27 from distance, but turned in a strong showing at the charity stripe as IWU hit 14-of-16 free throws. WLC fared much better from the floor, going 23-of-50 (46.0 percent). The Warriors hit six three-pointers on 19 attempts and finished 19-for-25 at the free throw line.
The Titans trailed on the glass, 39-31, as WLC accrued a 9-7 edge in second-chance scoring. The Warriors also led in bench scoring (13-2) and points in the paint (30-22), while IWU used a +6 margin in turnovers (20-14) to muster a 22-14 lead in poitns off miscues.
The Titans resume their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin slate in the new year, taking on No. 14 Carroll University inside the Shirk Center. The 2 p.m. tipoff will serve as the front half of a doubleheader with IWU's men's team.
