(Lebanon, IL. Feb. 13) – The McKendree University women's basketball team dropped a Great Lakes Valley Conference road tilt Monday night to William Jewell College in Liberty, MO. The Bearcats fell by a score of 55-38.

The loss dips McKendree to 10-15 overall and 1-14 in the GLVC this season. The Bearcats return to the hardwood Thursday in Louisville, KY against conference foe Bellarmine University to kick off the final road weekend of the season.

Freshman forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional ) paced McKendree with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) and senior guard Shannon McGinnis (Niles, Ill./Trinity) each added eight points. McGinnis also hauled in seven boards, two assists, and one steal.

Senior guard Amber Alexander (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) and Heberg connected on back to back tries from deep to open the scoring for the Bearcats, but score remained gridlocked at 6-6 before the Cardinals answered with a trey of their own to take a 9-6 advantage. William Jewell used the three to jump start a 7-0 run before Jensen brought McKendree back converting an and-one attempt, followed by a jumper from McGinnis to pull the Bearcats within two at 13-11 after the first 10 minutes.

The Cardinals took advantage of seven McKendree turnovers in the second quarter to string together a 10-0 run as William Jewell extended its lead to 12 at the half.

The Cardinals kept their foot on the gas to open the second half as they pushed the lead to 36-16 with 5:19 to play in the third. McGinnis halted the momentum with a pair of baskets and Jensen added four points of her own as the Bearcats slashed the lead to 11 heading into the final quarter.

A layup from Jensen cut the deficit to single digits with 6:47 to play, but it was a close as the Bearcats would come as William Jewell used a 10-2 run to put the game out of reach down the stretch to earn the win.