SPRINGFIELD, IL --- After a slow start, the Prairie Stars (5-5) turned it on in with a 29-point second quarter and after taking their first lead at 23-22, they never trailed again en route to a 71-61 victory over Oakland City (4-6). Meredith Marti led the way with 22 points but Shelbi Patterson added 17 points and nine rebounds while Caroline Kelty recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Oakland City opened the game with a 12-0 run, making the first four field goals they took and finished the run off with two free throws. Marti put the Prairie Stars on the board with her first three pointer of the night before Patterson knocked down two free throws to keep the momentum. After the first quarter, the Prairie Stars were down 20-9 to the visitors.

The second quarter was a whole different story though. Down 22-9, the Prairie Stars went on a 16-0 run to take a 25-22 lead before the Mighty Oaks responded. Syerra Cunningham accounted for six points in the run after coming off the bench for her first minutes of the game. The Prairie Stars extended their lead to as much as 11 before the Mighty Oaks ended the first half with a three at the buzzer for a halftime score of 38-30.

In a low scoring third quarter, the Mighty Oaks cut into the lead by two and found themselves down six heading into the final quarter. Although the Prairie Stars never trailed after they gained the lead, they couldn't seem to put the game away. Up ten after a three from Michaela Jones, a 5-0 Mighty Oaks run cut the lead back to five with over five minutes to play.

That's as close as it would get though as Marti followed an Ashley McHenry layup with back-to-back three's --- her fifth and sixth of the night --- to extend the lead to 13, putting the game out of reach.

Illinois Springfield closed the game out for a 71-61 victory in their final game of the 20`15 calendar year.

Marti ended the game 6-of-11 from the field, all of which were three point attempts and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the line for 22 points. Patterson was a rebound shy of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds and Kelty recorded 11 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists to fill the stat sheet.

The Prairie Stars will be back in action after the New Year when they travel to Quincy University for a Great Lakes Valley Conference match up. Game time is set for 5:15 on January 7^th.