Scots Rally Past Westminster, Win Game on Free Throws

By Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, ILL. The Monmouth College women's basketball team rallied from 14 down to beat Westminster 56-55 in Saturday's neutral site game. The Fighting Scots (1-2) won the game on two free throws in the final second by senior Kiersten Cox (Illinois City, Illinois).

""I'm very proud of our response out of halftime," said head coach Michelle DeCoud. "Shots weren't always falling for us today and this weekend and we are still working out some missed rotations defensively. But we came back from down double digits and that's a credit to what this team can do."

Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) scored on Monmouth's first possession for the second straight day. Brooklyn Sellers (Freeport, Illinois) scored in the paint and Goodrich scored the next four points for an 8-7 lead. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) scored and Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer for a 12-9 lead. Westminster finished the quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 18-12.

The Blue Jays pushed the lead to eight before Sellers hit a free throw. Jamaica Walker (Mobile, Alabama) made a layup and Cox hit a jumper for Monmouth's only field goals of the second quarter.

Down 28-17 to start the second half. Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) scored Monmouth's first basket of the quarter. Westminster went up 32-19 and Ava Pelaez (Aurora, Colorado) made a free throw. Tiah Riggs (Vincennes, Indiana) scored in the paint and Pelaez made another free throw. Cox scored the next four points but Westminster answered for a 37-27 lead. Kamryn Gillespie (Westmont, Illinois) hit three free throws and Hoy scored five straight points to end the quarter with the Scots down 44-35.

The Blue Jays pushed the lead back to 14 with 6:58 to play before Stearns made a layup. The senior point guard knocked down a 3-pointer for a 53-43 game and Walker scored on a jumper. Stearns hit another 3-pointer and Walker's layup off a steal cut the Westminster lead to 53-50. Walker made a free throw and Goodrich put the Scots up 54-53 with a 3-point play. Westminster scored their first points in more than six minutes to lead 55-54 with 16 seconds left. Stearns drove into the paint and her runner fell short but Cox grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 1.5 seconds left. Cox stepped to the line, made the first to tie the game and knocked down the second for a 56-55 lead. Westminster's half court shot was off the mark for the Scots win

Stearns led the Scots with 12 points while Goodrich had 10. Sellers led the way with seven rebounds and Stearns had three assists. Walker had a career-high five steals and Pelaez had a block.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Goodrich has scored in double figures in two straight games ... Sellers had seven rebounds in both games this weekend ... The Scots scored 20 points off turnovers ... Monmouth had 30 bench points ... The Scots beat Westminster last year 63-57 but the Blue Jays lead the all-time series 4-3 ... The Scots are back home next Saturday with a 5 p.m. start against Coe.