ROCKFORD, Ill.- The Rockford University women's team had a tall task Saturday afternoon at the Seaver Center. The Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons came down to face the Regents. With a 6-1 conference record coming into the game the Falcons were in first place in the NACC while Rockford was 2-4 and in the middle of the pack. Rockford was coming off of back-to-back wins against Concordia University Chicago and Augustana College.
Things did not start off smoothly for the Regents. They found themselves in a quick 6-0 hole. At the 16:53 mark the Regents nailed their first basket on a Jessica Bjerning (Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein) jump shot. The Falcons would then go on an 8-0 run that was stopped after a layup by Lindsay Lengjak (Roscoe, Ill./Hononengah). Concordia would make a couple of baskets before Erin Ryczek (South Beloit, Ill./Hononengah) hit a three pointer to bring the score to 18-7 with 10 minutes left in the first half. The score would sway a little in the Regents favor throughout the rest of the first half but the Falcons always had an answer and led 35-26 at the end of the first half. Ryczek was tied for the game lead going into the second half with 12 points on five of eight shooting. She also had four rebounds. The only other Regent to score more than two points in the first half were Lauren Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) who hit all four of her free throw shots and Arielle Nichols (Tampa, Fla./Land O' Lakes) who also had four points.
Rockford and Concordia would exchange baskets throughout the first part of the second half, with Concordia still leading by ten five minutes into the second half. Rockford would fight back a little after Callie Rezin (Rockford, Ill./Lutheran) hit a couple of free throws and after a Concordia basket Katie Clark (Rock City, Ill./Dakota) would make a jump shot to cut the Falcons lead down to eight. Concorida answered quickly and added onto their lead, going ahead 55-38 at the ten minute mark. Rockford would cut the lead down to 11 after baskets by Ryczek, Lengjak, and two by Sherrell Woods (Rockford, Ill./East). Concordia would answer with five straight points before Bjerning hit two free throws and Woods hit another shot. Rockford brought the score to 63-54 after two more baskets from Bjerning with 3:18 left in the game. Defense controlled the rest of the game as Concordia managed six points the rest of the way and Rockford manage two. Ryczek led the Regents with 14 points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds with Bjerning, who had eight points herself on three of three shooting. Rockford would score 23 points off of the bench, with Woods and Hyser leading the way with six points each and Clark adding in five points.
Rockford returns to the court on January 7th when Lakeland comes to town at 7:00 p.m. After that they go on the road to face Marian on January 11th at 4:15 p.m.
