Women's Basketball Falls to St. Francis, Looks Ahead to Benedictine Matchup
JOLIET, Illinois – The Graceland University's women's basketball team faced a tough non-conferencfe matchup on Saturday, falling to St. Francis (IL) 98-48 at the Pat Sullivan Center in Joliet, Illinois. The injuries have mounted up on this young Graceland team, yet, the Yellowjackets have made no excuses and show resilience and continue to develop their team identity in this early stretch of the season.
Graceland (2-5) struggled offensively, shooting just 21.9% from the field (14-64) and going 0-19 from beyond the arc. Maxine Ampofo led the Yellowjackets in scoring and rebounding, recording a double-double with 11 points and 14 boards. Sariah Bradley contributed seven points off the bench, and Kayloni Smolley added seven points and four assists.
The Yellowjackets displayed grit on the defensive end, forcing 10 turnovers and grabbing 43 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive glass. However, turnovers proved costly for Graceland, as St. Francis converted 17 Graceland miscues into 23 points.
St. Francis (6-1) capitalized on its home-court advantage, shooting 43.4% from the field and 40.7% from three-point range. The Fighting Saints dominated in transition, scoring 54 bench points and maintaining a strong defensive presence with 13 steals. Amou Ring paced St. Francis with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Laurelei Thormeyer added 9 points and 5 assists.
The game highlighted areas of focus for the Yellowjackets as they prepare for Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) play. Head Coach Willie Scott emphasized the importance of consistency, saying, "We must build on the positive stretches we've seen. Our focus now shifts to limiting turnovers and improving our efficiency in the half-court."
Graceland will next take the court on Tuesday, November 26, when they travel to Atchison, Kansas, to face the Benedictine College Ravens at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on Graceland women's basketball and all Yellowjacket athletics, visit GUjackets.com.