Nov. 10, 2007

Box Score

CHICAGO - Elyse VanBogaert scored a career-high 16 points and Brittany Boeke recorded a double-double in her first collegiate game as Loyola fired out to a 40-14 halftime lead en route to a 67-52 victory over Robert Morris this evening in the season opener for both teams at the Gentile Center.

Four different players scratched the scoresheet in the opening three minutes as the Ramblers opened an early 11-2 lead. Helped by a pair of LU turnover, Robert Morris battled back to within four, 13-9, before the Ramblers tightened the screws defensively. Four straight free throws from Jana Lucas boosted the lead to eight and it still stood at eight (19-11) when Loyola rattled off the next 17 points in succession, holding RMC without a point for 9:22, to take a 36-11 lead with just under three minutes to play in the half. Although the Eagles finally put an end to their drought, a Jennifer Juergens free throw in the closing seconds sent the Ramblers to the locker room with a 40-14 bulge. Loyola shot 50% (12-of-24) from the floor in the period and knocked down 13-of-15 (86.7%) from the stripe while holding its visitors to just four field goals and 12.9% field goal shooting (4-for-31).

Robert Morris was more effective on offense in the second half and cut the deficit to 19 (46-27) after five minutes elapsed. However, a quick 10-0 LU response, in which five different players scored, gave the Ramblers their largest lead of the night, 56-27, at the 11:09 mark and they cruised from there with RMC scoring the last 10 points of the game to account for the final margin.

VanBogaert continued her torrid play - she scored 28 points in Loyola's exhibition win over Purdue-Calumet - with her career-best 16 points. She was joined in double figures by Maggie McCloskey (12 points, 4-6 3FGs) and Boeke, who finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds in her collegiate debut.

Loyola returns to the floor on Monday night when they make the short trip to Milwaukee to face Marquette. Tip-time is scheduled for 7 p.m.