CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 2 seed Parkland College women’s basketball team opened postseason play on Wednesday, March 8th, with a 75-34 win over Spoon River College at home in the Central District Quarterfinals. The Cobras outscored the Snappers 40-11 in the second half, and the team rebounded the visitors 45-24 in the quarterfinal matchup. Freshman forward Alyssa Cole (18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) led all scorers, and sophomore Jennifer Heinberg (15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) knocked down five three-pointers in the win.
First-year head coach Laura Litchfield credited her team’s depth after her first career postseason win, saying, “We got the results we wanted, and it was a great all-around team effort.”
“We started the game with low energy, but our bench brought a huge spark, and we pulled away after that,” Litchfield concluded.
The Cobras (23-4) struck first, leading 9-5 early in the first quarter, but the Snappers (10-18) took a 10-9 lead with 4:08 on the clock before Parkland called a timeout. Litchfield’s squad retook the lead and held an 18-13 lead at the end of the first quarter following a Jennifer Heinberg three. The Cobras found something beyond the arc in the second quarter, as Kenzey Decker and Heinberg hit back-to-back triples to take a 24-13 lead with 7:38 until halftime. Parkland controlled the glass, outrebounding Spoon River 20-9 in the first half, and the Cobras led by as many as 15 with 1:05 to play, taking a 35-23 lead into the break. Parkland opened the second half on a 15-1 run, and the Cobras shot over 53 percent from the field in the third quarter, extending their lead to 57-28 going into the fourth. Parkland held Spoon River without a field goal for 6:27 between the third and fourth quarters, and the Snappers trailed 70-33 once they finally broke the drought with 2:04 remaining in the game. Freshman Mallory Cyrulik scored Parkland’s final five points, and the Cobras cruised to a 75-34 win at home.
Statistical Overview:
- Alyssa Cole: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
- Jennifer Heinberg: 15 points, 5-8 3PT, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
- Kenzey Decker: 13 points, 4 assists
- Mallory Cyrulik: 9 points, 4 rebounds
- Ivie Juarez: 5 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Up next, the Cobras will take on No. 4 seed Danville Area Community College in the Central District Semifinals at Lake Land College on Saturday, March 11th. Tip-off against the Jaguars (16-9) is scheduled for 2:00 PM in Mattoon.
