The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team earned its first GLVC victory of the year with a strong defensive effort against William Jewell. The Prairie Stars defeated the Cardinals by a 71-46 score.
 
UIS held William Jewell to just 28.1 percent shooting from the field, including 25.9 percent from three-point range. The Prairie Stars also forced 23 turnovers, and won the rebounding battle by a 36-31 margin. The team was especially strong against one of the top scorers in the GLVC, holding the Cardinals' Kiara Bradley to three points, 13 below her season average.
 
The defense started early as UIS did not allow a point for the first four minutes of the game. By that time, UIS had jumped out to a 12-0 lead, and it led 20-12 after 10 minutes. UIS extended its lead to 38-22 by halftime, and eventually led by as many as 30 points in the fourth quarter.
 
Offensively, UIS spent most of the game driving to the hoop, with 40 of the team's points coming inside the paint. The Prairie Stars also went to the free-throw line 26 times, and shot 84.6 percent from the stripe.
 
Lauren Ladowski had a team-high 18 points, making six-of-nine from the field and six-of-eight from the free-throw line. Tehya Fortune finished with 14 points and had a team-high four assists. Makenna Fee was the final player in double-figures with 11. Grace Weber led on the boards with eight, and Katelyn Rosner had seven rebounds. Rosner also had three of the team's seven blocks. 
 
UIS improves to 6-6 overall and 1-3 in the GLVC. The Prairie Stars return home on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against Rockhurst.