Box Score

LISLE, Ill. - The Benedictine University women's basketball team held off Elmhurst College 57-56 to win in the final game before Christmas.

A tight game throughout, neither team led by more than seven points in the contest. The first half featured four ties and seven lead changes. A layup from Nicole Botich handed Benedictine a five-point lead at 11-6 with 11:54 to play in the half. Elmhurst came back, using a 10-0 run to open a 22-15 lead with 6:17 remaining in the half. The Eagles battled back behind a 7-0 run capped with a Michelle Batty jumper to lead 25-24 with 1:11 remaining and held a 27-25 lead at the break.

The second half featured more of the same. With the score tied at 36 all, Benedictine used a 9-2 run to pull ahead by seven points at 45-38 when Gaede buried a three with 13:19 left in the contest. Elmhurst rallied to tie the game with six straight points over two minutes with 8:01 to go.

The Bluejays opened a 55-50 lead with 5:48 remaining before Benedictine scored seven straight to take the lead. Kam Haifleigh scored a layup to open the run and a pair of free throws from Morgan Jahnke handed Benedictine the lead with just 1:47 left. Elmhurst hit a free throw to pull within a point but missed on two chances in the final :22 to win the game.

Moving back to the familiar position of point guard, Meghan Novak paced Benedictine with a season high 14 points, her fourth double-digit output of the year. Gaede added 13 for the Eagles, who turned the ball over just nine times in the victory, the first of the season against an opponent from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in four tries.

Benedictine (5-6) will travel to Franklin College in suburban Indianapolis on December 29 for a 1:00 p.m. contest.