(ROLLA, MO – Dec. 3) – The McKendree University women's basketball team improve to 1-1 on the season after defeating Missouri S&T 62-55 Thursday night.

Kari Kerkhoff's team found themselves trying to dig out of an eight-point hole after the first 10 minutes of play, where they trailed 20-12. Fight back against the Miner's pressure, McKendree slowly chipped away at their deficit. Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, IL/Pekin Community) would hit a three-pointer from the right corner to cut the double-digit lead and Jenna Krause (Seymour, WI/Seymour) would add another basket the following possession from beyond the arch to put the Bearcats within five. Freshman Brilan McCory (Sunan, IN/East Central) would come into the game and add a three-pointer to put McKendree within one, heading into halftime. A pass to Kraus from Callie Pohlman (Appleton, WI/Appleton North) under the basket would tie the game 36-36 with 2:29 left in the third quarter. The Bearcats would take the lead with 8:22 left in the game and did not let it go.

Krause led her team with 16 points, shooting 60 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the free throw line. Diekhoff also scored double digits for the Bearcats, putting up 13 points and going 62.5 percent from the free throw line. Polhman and Madison Jones (Abingdon, IL/Abiingdon-Avon) both added eight points apiece.

It was the Miners who took control of the game right from the start, creating a 15-4 lead that caused the Bearcats to take a timeout with 6:11 left in the first quarter. The Miners continued to control the pace of the game, leading by as many as 11 points with six minutes left before halftime. They would see pushback and their lead diminish to one as they entered halftime, 27-26. The Miners began to see their lead slip away when the Bearcats took a one-point lead early in the fourth quarter and increased the deficit every McKendree possession.

The Miners were led by Kristin Keys who scored 16 points and tallied three rebounds. Laura Rodriguez added 12 points for her team, while Eryn Puett scored eight.

The Bearcats will be back in the Harry M. Statham Sports Center this weekend for an afternoon game on Saturday, Dec. 5. The Bearcats will host the Greyhounds of University of Indianapolis, with tip-off scheduled for 1:00 PM.