(ST. LOUIS, Mo., Dec. 1)—The McKendree University women's basketball team is off its first 2-0 start in program history with a 68-47 victory Saturday afternoon at Maryville University.
 
The Bearcats used another balanced attack and solid defensive performance in grabbing its fourth win in five outings. Three McKendree players scored in double figures as the Bearcats moved to 5-2 overall. McKendree will step out of conference play Wednesday to host Missouri Baptist University at 5:30 p.m. inside the Statham Center.
 
Junior guard Jordan Heberg (Romeoville, IL/Plainfield North) led a balanced attack with 15 points, while sophomore guard Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, IL/Pekin Community) chipped in with 14 points and freshman guard Jenna Krause (Seymour, WI/Seymour) came off the bench to post 11 points. Senior forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) and junior forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional) shared team-high rebounding honors for the Bearcats with eight apiece, and sophomore guard Callie Pohlman (Appleton, WI/Appleton North) handed out a game-high seven assists.
 
Defensively, McKendree held Maryville without a three-point field goal in the contest as the Saints went 0-for-17 from beyond the arc. The Bearcats also limited Maryville to just 27.9 percent shooting (19-of-68) in the effort.
 
McKendree scored the first nine points of Saturday's game at Maryville as Diekhoff netted five during the opening burst. The Bearcats quickly pushed the lead to double figures at 14-4 on a jumper by Heberg with 3:33 left in the period. McKendree shot 50 percent from the floor (8-of-16) while holding the Saints to just 26.7 percent (4-of-15) in taking a 19-10 lead after one quarter of play.
 
In the second quarter, Maryville cut the deficit to eight points in the opening moments before Diekhoff made five straight free throws over a 19-second span to push the Bearcats out to a 27-14 advantage with 6:37 left until halftime. The Saints pulled back within single digits before McKendree closed the half on a 10-2 run over the final 4:22 to take a 39-22 lead into the locker room.
 
The Bearcats took their largest lead of the contest, 47-24, with 6:37 left in the third quarter before Maryville chipped into the deficit. The Saints reeled off 10 consecutive points to pull within 47-34 with just over three minutes left in the period. McKendree rebounded to take a 51-36 lead after three quarters and cruised to the victory.
 
Erin Lenahan poured in a game-high 19 points to lead Maryville (4-3, 1-1 GLVC), while Abby Monis pulled down a game-high nine rebounds for the Saints. The teams will meet again Jan. 10 in Lebanon.