Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 14)- The McKendree University women's basketball team led at the half, but were unable to hold on down the stretch in a close 72-69 loss to William Jewell College.

The Bearcats fall to 2-21 overall and 1-14 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and will host University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m.

Senior guard Caty Ponce (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) led McKendree with 12 points, while junior guard Kelsee Ennis (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South) matched her career-high with 11 points. Sophomore forward Gabrielle Williams (Minooka, Ill./Plainfield East) also added 10 points. McKendree also tied its season high with nine three-pointers in the contest.

The Bearcats found their range early in the first half, making their first four three-point attempts to take an early 18-10 lead. McKendree went on to take its largest lead of the game, 42-25, following a jumper by sophomore forward Emily Pusheck (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee) with just over five minutes to go in the opening half. The Bearcats went into the locker room with a 47-38 lead after the Cardinals ended the half with a 13-5 run in the final five minutes.

William Jewell used a 7-0 run to open the second half to cut the deficit to 47-45, but McKendree held onto its lead for the next 11 minutes until a layup by Aerial Smith gave the Cardinals a 63-62 lead with 6:52 remaining. The game stayed close down the stretch, but the Bearcats were unable to regain the lead.