Jan. 29, 2014 - The Concordia-Chicago women's basketball team waited a long time to savor victory this season, but that just meant that the taste was especailly sweet when it finally came tonight. The Cougars shot over 50 percent this evening and showed some great resilience down the stretch in holding off Rockford University by an 84-80 score at Geiseman Gymnasium.

"We've been saying all season that everything happens for a reason, and maybe that reason is to make us tougher," said CUC head coach Joshua Steffen. "It might have been more fitting for us to win a close one than win by 20 or 30 points."

Early on, it did not appear as if tonight would be a special night for the Cougars. Trailing 8-6, the Regents used a 14-2 run sparked by a pair of threes by Callie Rezin to claim a 20-10 lead. But it was defense that began to turn the game around. Concordia-Chicago forced the visitors into five turnovers in a two-minute stretch as they began to claw back. Chanel Stelmachowicz (Fredonia, WI/Living Word Lutheran) and April Broska (Belleville, MI/Lutheran South) connected on threes as part of a 9-0 answering run, and the Cougars were right back in the chase.

A three by Miranda Rogers (Cypress, TX/Houston Christian) at the 3:50 mark vaulted Concordia into the lead at 31-30. The lead became five points as Morgan Jahnke (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community) found Angelik Young (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee) underneath the basket for layups on two straight possessions.

Rockford got a three-point play by Katie Clark to pull within two, but Concordia's Lauren Orr (O'Fallo9n, MO/Lutheran St. Charles) provided a closing flourish for the half. Freshly into the game, Orr hit consecutive three-pointers. After a Young basket, Orr made it a 10-point run as she drove in for a layup. The Regents ended the run with a free throw, but the half came to a close with the Cougars leading 45-36.

Erin Ryczek attempted to shoot the visitors back into the game as she began the second half with a couple of threes. However, the Cougars maintained their lead behind baskets by Young and Broska, along with a third three from Orr. Four minutes into the half, the Cougars' lead was back at 10 points, 56-46.

An 8-0 run by the Regents, sparked by a three and two free throws by Arielle Nichols, began to make matters a bit uncomfortable. But the Cougars would not relinquish the lead. Kassy Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran), who had just a single basket to that point, hit two threes less than a minute apart, to shoot the lead back up to eight at 70-62.

The lead was at 79-70 with 2:50 left, but Rockford had one final push in them. Ryczek's two rainbows keyed a 9-0 run, her second three tying the game 79-79 with 51 seconds left.

Concordia-Chicago would not let this one get away. Broska drew a foul, and the senior calmly sank both free throws to let CUC regain the lead with 42 seconds on the clock. Then, following a Regents' miss, Jahnke was fouled and hit both of her shots to make the score 83-79. Free throws by RU's Destiny Chaney and CUC's Hannah Rummel (Fenton, MI/Lake Fenton) offset each other, and a Koehler block in the final seconds helped seal the well-deserved victory for the home team. 

The Cougars shot 31-61 (51 percent) from the floor, but most impressive was the team's 12-25 (48 percent) from beyond the arc. Concordia's ball movement was also exceptional as they earned 22 assists on the team's 31 field goals. Jahnke had a season-high eight assists and Koehler five to lead the way.

Broska scored a career-high 28 points on 9-14 shooting (3-3 on threes) and 7-8 from the free throw line. Young tallied 16 points on 8-12 shooting, followed by Orr with 11 points on 4-5 shooting (3-4 threes). Jahnke was also in double figures with 10 points.

Rockford (8-11, 5-9 NACC) was led by Lindsay Lengjak with 15 points. Ryczek was next in line with 14 points, followed by Nichols with 12.

Concordia-Chicago (1-18, 1-13 NACC) will go for two in a row when they host Lakeland College on Saturday afternoon.