CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 13 ranked Parkland College women’s basketball team dropped its first conference game of the season on Saturday, February 4th, as the Cobras lost 65-58 to No. 8 Lake Land College. The Cobras outrebounded the Lakers 35-19 on Saturday, but Parkland struggled against the press, committing 26 turnovers in the team’s first loss since December 10th. Sophomore Shae Bell (17 points, 11 rebounds) came off the bench to lead the Cobras in points and rebounds, and sophomore Kenzey Decker dished out six assists in the loss.
“Tough loss against a great Lake Land team,” first-year head coach Laura Litchfield assessed after the game. “We made some great runs in the first half but didn’t handle pressure well going into the third quarter, and that ultimately cost us.”
“The good news is,” Litchfield continued, “so much of what we did not do well is fixable, and we’ll learn from our mistakes.”
The Cobras (18-2) (5-1) struck first, jumping out to an early lead thanks to a hot start from sophomore Jennifer Heinberg. The Marengo native opened the game 3-3 from beyond the arc, forcing the Lakers (18-5) (5-1) to take a timeout with 2:54 left in the first quarter, trailing 16-9. Lake Land closed the quarter on a 6-0 run, but the Cobras still led 16-15. Parkland regained momentum behind a stingy defense in the second quarter. The Cobras went on a three-minute, 11-1 run capped by a Shae Bell three-point play to take a 30-19 lead with 4:40 to go in the half. The team led by as many as 13 points in the first half, but a late Laker three cut the Cobra lead to 38-29 at halftime. Turnovers plagued Parkland in the second half as Lake Land pressed to open the third quarter. Heinberg buried her another three to give the Cobras a 43-31 lead with 6:38 to play in the third, but the Laker press led to a 14-2 Lake Land run, tying the game at 45, and two late free throws gave the visitors a 47-45 lead at the end of the quarter. The Lakers led by as many as eight points with just under five minutes remaining, but a short 7-0 Cobra run, capped by an Alyssa Cole three-point play, cut the deficit to 55-54 with 1:42 remaining. Lake Land responded with a quick 5-0 run to take the air out of the building, and Parkland could not take advantage of two late missed free throws, as the Cobras lost 65-58 at home.
Statistical Overview:
- Alyssa Cole: 14 points, 11 rebounds
- Shae Bell: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
- Jennifer Heinberg: 12 points (4-7 3PT), 2 assists
- Kenzey Decker: 4 points, 6 assists
Up next, the Cobras have some time off before returning to action on Wednesday, February 15th, in a conference rematch against Danville Area Community College in Danville. Tip-off against the Jaguars (11-7) (3-3) is scheduled for 5:30 PM at the Mary Miller Gymnasium.
