USF Women's Basketball Defeats Holy Cross

JOLIET, Ill. -- Sophomore Katie Gonnering (Seymour, Wis./ Freedom) poured in a career-high 36 points to lead the University of St. Francis women's basketball team to a 75-58 win over Holy Cross College in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday evening at the Sullivan center. | Box Score

Gonnering, whose previous career scoring high was 34 points, connected on 11 of 15 attempts from the field and on 14 of 16 free throw tries. She also grabbed 10 rebounds to record her 10th double-double of the year.

Neither team held more than a five-point advantage in the first half. After seven lead changes and eight ties, USF (13-14 overall, 12-8 CCAC) took the lead for good, 34-32, on a pair of Gonnering foul shots with 2:12 left in the first period.

A layup by freshman Debra Jenkins (Chicago, Ill./ Morgan Park) with 15:15 remaining in the game gave the Fighting Saints their first double-digit lead of the contest, 50-40. USF remained on top by at least 10 points the rest of the night.

Senior Marissa Draper (Joliet, Ill./ Joliet Township) also finished in double figures for USF with 10 points to go along with six assists.

Francesca McCarthy paced Holy Cross (9-19, 5-15) with 16 points. Lindsey Steffen fell just short of a triple-double, as she contributed 13 assists, 12 rebounds, and nine points.

USF will close out CCAC regular season play with two games on the road next week, beginning Wednesday evening at Indiana University South Bend.