CHICAGO – In just her second collegiate game, freshman guard
Laken LePage (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) poured in six three-pointers on nine attempts, finishing 7-for-10 overall with a game-high 20 points in just 17 minutes off the bench, and fellow freshman guard
Desiree Merritt (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East) added 11 points as Saint Xavier University women's basketball (2-0/0-0 CCAC) defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) 81-58 Thursday evening on Bob Hallberg Court at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Ill. LePage added four rebounds, two steals, an assist and a blocked shot, while Merritt chipped in two assists, two rebounds and a steal in the first ever matchup between the two programs.
- sophomore guard Brooklynn Johnson (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) finished in double-figures as well, scoring 11 points, along with four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
- Junior forward Veronica Bafia (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) tallied seven points, four rebounds, two steals and an assist.
- Sophomore forward Alaina Peetz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) pulled down a team-best eight rebounds, adding four points, three assists, three blocked shots and three steals in 33 minutes of action.
- Junior guard Makayla Kelly (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) netted her first points of the year, knocking down a pair of threes for six points. She also had an assist and a block.
- Junior guard Lillie Woodworth (Hamilton, Ill./Lincoln Land/Hamilton) posted five points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
- Junior guard Maeve Egan (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) totaled four points, two assists and two rebounds.
- Fifth-year senior Ariadna Kuc (Krakow, Poland/Eckerd/Highland/IGM Academy) also scored four points with a rebound.
- Junior guard Gianna Amadio (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) contributed three points, three rebounds and a pair of assists.
- Freshman guard Armante Dambrauskas (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) made her collegiate debut, grabbing three rebounds and scoring two points.
- Senior guard Madyson Kibelkis (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) registered two points, two assists and a rebound.
- Sophomore guard Taryn Fisher (Westfield, Ind./Carmel) came away with two points, a rebound and a steal.
- Freshman guard/forward Emily Grochola (Burbank, Ill./Reavis) also made her collegiate debut, hauling in a pair of rebounds.
Saint Xavier (2-0/0-0 CCAC) travels to Grand Rapids, Mich. to play Aquinas College (Mich.) on Tuesday, November 3. The non-conference contest is set for a 4:30 pm central tip-off.
