Jan. 19, 2016 - The Concordia-Chicago women's basketball team traveled to Milwaukee this evening for a crucial matchup against the Inferno of Alverno College. The two teams came into the game with identical 4-6 records in conference, two games behind the fifth and sixth place teams currently holding down the last two conference tournament berths. Concordia-Chicago defeated Alverno at Geiseman Gymnasium back on Nov. 29, but Alverno won the rematch by a final score of 85-74.

The Cougars came out hot, scoring on three of their first four trips down the floor. Lauren Orr (O'Fallon, MO/Lutheran St. Charles) opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and Courtney Lofink (Orange, CA/Orange Lutheran) andAngelik Young (Crete, IL/Crete-Monee)followed with baskets for a fast 7-2 lead. Alverno came back with a score, but Orr knocked down a second three for a 10-4 lead.

Miranda Rogers' (Cypress, TX/Houston Christian)three gave CUC its biggest lead of the quarter at 17-8, but Alverno came back with three successive three-point shots to tie the game. The inferno followed up with three more baskets to make it a 15-0 run and a 23-17 lead. However,Erin Jacobsen (Aurora, IL/West Aurora)stopped the bleeding and pumped in a three seconds before the buzzer to make the score Alverno 23, CUC 20 after one quarter.

The Inferno began the second with a 7-1 run to go up nine. Alverno maintained the lead as 6'0" center Mollie Mikyska scored seven in a row for the home team at one point. Concordia-Chicago managed to narrow the gap however and, in the final minute, baskets by Jacobsen and Young sent CUC to the locker room at the half, trailing by just two at 41-39.

Starting out the second half, the Cougars quickly evened it up as Morgan Jahnke (Fox Lake, IL/Grant Community)drove for a layup. Lofink then nailed a three from the left wing as Concordia-Chicago regained the lead 44-41. Sarah Smith (St. Ignace, MI/LaSalle) added to the lead on a putback. However, Alverno fought back with a 11-1 run, taking back the lead on Mollie Mikyska's putback.

Trailing 52-47, Hannah Rummel (Fenton, MI/Lake Fenton) drove to the basket and converted a three-point play.The Inferno maintained the lead, although another three by Rogers and a steal and layup by Lofink had the Cougars within 59-55 as the game entered the fourth quarter.

Orr hit a three to start the fourth and bring the Cougars within a single point. However, the Inferno came back with their third big charge of the night, a 10-0 run. The Cougars were unable to recover from this one, and five missed free throws in the quarter did not aid their cause. CUC got as close as six at 76-70 befoer Alverno closed out the game.

Young finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Rogers notcehd a season-high 12 points with her four threes, and Lofink added 11 points, three assists and four steals.

Alverno was led by Brooke McBain's 20 points and Mikyska's 18 points and eight rebounds.

The Cougars will look to get back on the winning track Saturday when they travel to Lakeland College for the two teams' only meeting of the season.