For Immediate Release
eureka, illinois
January 5, 2009
3 Red devils set career-highs, EC season-high in loss to knox
Boxscore
Eureka College had three players record career-highs en route to a season-high in points, but the Red Devils could not hold a 12-point advantage in a 76-71 loss to visiting Knox College Monday. The Prairie Fire began the second half on a 25-11 run, taking their first lead at the 12:40 mark and holding back a late Eureka comeback effort.
Freshman Chantaivia Knight (Normal, Ill./University) joined junior transfers Lindsey Crum (Washington, Ill./HS) and Lauren Snopek (Metamora, Ill./HS) in setting career-best scoring performances. Knight put in 18, while Crum posted a game-high 19 and Snopek had 17.
Crum and Snopek in particular were on fire in the opening frame as Eureka (1-9) built a 38-30 lead at intermission. Snopek accounted for 12 points on 4-for-6 field goal shooting, including 2-for-4 from three-point territory. Crum recorded 10 points, all coming in the final 13 minutes of the half.
Ironically, did not seem that much would be needed from the three high-scoring Red Devils with the way Lisa Byard (Morton, Ill./HS) started the game for EC. Byard was fed the ball inside and easily converted against the Knox (3-5) interior defense for eight points in just over five minutes after the opening tip.
Eureka eventually gained as large as a 12-point lead at 18-6 before foul trouble began to take its toll on the Red Devils. The Red Devils were whistled for a total of 16 fouls in the first half. Knox was put in the bonus at the 11:43 mark of the first half, and three Eureka starters went into the break handcuffed with three fouls.
Knox made 11-of-17 at the line in the first half, but failed to slice much off the Red Devils' lead thanks to Eureka's 58 percent (14-for-24) field goal shooting. The Prairie Fire used an 11-3 run to get within 28-26, but Eureka responded with back-to-back baskets against the Knox full court press. Lanie Viti (Streator, Ill./Woodland) found Crum for an open lay up, then Crum assisted on Heather Skelton's (Harvard, Ill./Alden-Hebron) three-point play to increase the lead to seven. Snopek added five points in the final minute and a half to send EC into the halftime break up 38-30.
After misfiring on 12 out of 13 three-point attempts in the first half, Knox hit four treys in the first six minutes of the second stanza to knot the score at 46. The Prairie Fire then took a lasting lead with 12:40 remaining on a Kate Moon layup.
Lynn Mueller, who led Knox with 18 points, handed her team its largest lead of the night with 5:19 to play. Her layup lifted the Prairie Fire to a 66-57 advantage, but they would have to survive some white knuckle moments down the stretch before escaping with the win.
Crum converted another open layup against the press, then made two free throws after being fouled shooting a three-pointer. Knox was called for an offensive foul setting up Knight's layup at the four minute mark that cut the Knox lead to 66-63.
The teams traded free throws before Knight got the Red Devils even closer at 70-69 with a layup coming out of a time out with 1:03 to play. Despite being blanked in the first half, the Prairie Fire's leading scorer, Erin Navolio, finished with 14 points. She was also front and center in the key offensive and defensive plays of the game as she drove the lane and had her shot blocked by Kim Downs (Kewanee, Ill./HS) of Eureka. Downs, who had four blocked shots in the game, was called for her fifth foul on the play, however, and Navolio converted both foul shots for a three-point Knox lead.
She then stole a post entry pass on Eureka's ensuing possession, was fouled and made two more free throws putting Knox ahead 74-69 with 27 seconds remaining. The Prairie Fire would hang on from there for a five-point victory.
Byard finished with 14 points giving Eureka four double digit scorers for the second time this season. Knight led all players with eight boards. She made eight out of 10 field goal attempts. Downs filled the stat sheet with seven assists, four steals and four rebounds. Snopek dished out five assists and made 7-for-8 at the charity stripe.
The Red Devils shot 51 percent (26-for-51) from the field. It marked the first time Eureka had shot over 50 percent from the field in a game since January 26, 2005 versus Clarke, a span of 96 contests. Both offenses performed well, with Knox converting at a 56 percent (14-for-25) rate in the second half to finish at 43 percent (23-53) for the game. Knox sank 24 free throws in 32 tries (75 percent).
The Red Devils will return of conference play Wednesday, January 7 with a road contest at Blackburn College. Both sides will enter the 6:00 pm tip-off in Carlinville at 1-2 in the league, tied for fifth place. The last four meetings between Eureka and Blackburn have been decided by single digits, with BC claiming the last three victories.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bmoore@eureka.edu
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