BELOIT, Wis. - Keyed by a tenacious defense that forced 32 turnovers Saturday afternoon, including 18 steals, Beloit's women's basketball team defeated Monmouth College 63-57. That gives Beloit's first-year head coach Natalie Miller the first Midwest Conference victory of her career.
Beloit (4-4, 1-1 MWC) had the hot hand early on, shooting 47 percent (8-17) in the first quarter, while making a pair of 3-pointers to take a 19-10 lead after the opening period. Monmouth (5-3, 1-1 MWC) would cut that lead to three in the final minutes of the second quarter, but Beloit would score the final six points of the half, including a pair of baskets by
Addyson Ciochon to take a 33-24 lead into intermission.
Monmouth then mounted a comeback in the second half, outscoring Beloit 23-14 in the third quarter to tie the game at 47 entering the fourth and final frame, before taking their first lead of the game on a pair of baskets to start the period. Beloit scored six consecutive points, taking the lead on a
Hannah Welte layup mid-way through the quarter. After Monmouth tied the score again,
Johanna McNair gave the Buccaneers the lead for good on a 3-pointer with three minutes remaining.
More than half of Beloit's points (33) came off turnovers, while the Buccaneers also outscored Monmouth in the paint by a 46-26 margin.
Elizabeth Kalk led all scorers with 19 points to lead Beloit, as she surpassed 500 career points in what was just her 30th career game, while adding eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Ciochon added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Welte and
T'Aira Boyance each scored 10, to go along with five and four steals, respectively.
Monmouth was led by Jadyn Mitchell's 14 points on 4-of-7 shooitng, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range. Lily Harlan and Tarae Warner added 13 points apiece, while Zoie Wall finished with eight points and nine rebounds.
Beloit will try to keep things rolling on Wednesday, when they'll travel to Ripon College. That game will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Willmore Center in Ripon, Wis.
