LISLE, IL – The Beloit College women's basketball team continued their early season on the road with a hard-fought contest against the Benedictine Eagles at the Rice Center this evening. The Buccaneers (0-2, 0-02 MWC) ultimately fell 64-43 to the Eagles (3-0, 0-0 NACC).
The first quarter proved challenging for the Bucs as Benedictine established an early lead. The Buccaneers struggled to find their offensive rhythm, shooting 30.8% from the field and going 0-for-1 from beyond the arc. The Eagles, conversely, capitalized on turnovers and second-chance opportunities, building a significant 20-8 lead by the end of the first period.
Beloit's defense, however, began to show signs of life, with Hailey Johnson (South Milwaukee, Wis.) grabbing a defensive rebound early in the game and blocking a layup attempt. Despite these efforts, the Buccaneers found themselves trailing significantly.
The second quarter saw Beloit begin to settle into the game, improving their field goal percentage to 35.3%. While Benedictine continued to score, the Buccaneers managed to keep pace for much of the period. Amaya Bridgewater (Milwaukee, Wis.) emerged as a key offensive force, making crucial layups and contributing to Beloit's scoring.
The quarter also featured defensive tenacity from Brooke Foster (Machesney Park, Ill.) with an offensive rebound and Kaitlin Davis (Platte City, Mo.) with multiple defensive rebounds. A brief scoring run for Beloit, including a layup by Bridgewater, helped close the gap slightly, but Benedictine maintained a commanding 37-20 lead at halftime.\\
Coming out of the locker room, Beloit demonstrated renewed determination in the third quarter. The Buccaneers improved their shooting efficiency even further, hitting 44.4% from the field and an impressive 50% from three-point range. Johnson became a central figure, making a layup early in the period and showcasing her scoring ability contributed with an assist, highlighting the team's improved ball movement.
One of Beloit's most significant momentum shifts came in the third quarter, with Sophia Corley (New Albany, Ind.) making a key two-point field goal, and later Davis with an assist. The team's best scoring run of the game, a 7-point stretch, occurred in this quarter, bringing energy and confidence to the Beloit bench.
The fourth quarter saw Beloit continue to battle, with Foster contributing a hook shot from a turnover and Bridgewater converting free throws. While Benedictine ultimately secured the victory, Beloit's second-half performance, particularly their improved shooting and defensive efforts, offers a promising foundation for future games.
Bridgewater led the Bucs in scoring with 10, an early career-high for the freshman. She also added seven rebounds in 19 minutes of action. Johnson missed double-figures by one, adding nine points, with four rebounds, a block and a steal. Bailey Darneal (Colorado Springs, CO) and Foster each contributed six points with Darneal grabbing four rebounds and a steal. Foster recorded a steal, an assist and two boards. Davis led the Bucs on the boards with nine.
