MADISON, WISC. - In a similar storyline to the year prior, the Madison College women's basketball team saw their season come to a close with a loss to Joliet Junior College in the Region IV Division III Semifinals. Even with home court advantage inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium, the second-seeded WolfPack could not maintain their halftime lead and fell 74-69 to the third-seeded Wolves, who advanced to the title game and lost to top-seeded Rock Valley College. Madison College, which lost by a 73-70 tally last season against JJC, ends their season with a 20-9 record.

Trailing for the first five-plus minutes of the game, Madison College assumed their first lead of the day on Megan Corcoran's third three-pointer of the quarter. She would connect on a fourth later in the quarter and Cheyanne Jo Udelhoven drained another at the buzzer to hand the 'Pack a 20-13 edge. The WolfPack remained in front for the rest of the half, never leading by more than seven, and owned a 33-27 edge at the break.



An 11-5 surge to open the half by the Wolves pulled the score to even less than three minutes into the half. Joliet eventually took its largest lead of the game at 50-44 with two-and-a-half minutes left in the quarter. Still up two to open the fourth, JJC and Madison College began a final ten minutes that featured four lead changes and five ties. Knotted at 65-all and going inside of three minutes to play, the WolfPack secured a two-point lead on Caitlyn Gilbertson's inside basket. It would be the last time the home team was on top as Joliet's Amber Lemons scored six consecutive points as part of a 9-2 closing run to win the game.

Four players scored in double-figures, with Corcoran leading the charge at 18 points. The sophomore guard made five of her six field goals from three-point territory to end the season with team-high scoring average of 20.6 points. Her seven rebounds tied for the most on the team with Tianna Sackett, while her three blocked shots means she will end the year with at least one rejection in the final 15 games.

Off the bench, Gilbertson added 15 points on 5 of 13 shooting and 5 of 8 at the line to register her 11th game of ten or more points this season. The former Belmont HS athlete also secured six boards.

Udelhoven was 4 of 16 from the floor with all four successful shots coming beyond the arc to place her third on the team in scoring at 13.7 a game. Just ahead of her for the year was Peyton Trapino, who scored 12 points against the Wolves to post a 15.6 average on the year. The DeForest, Wisconsin, native also had team-leading four assists to accompany five rebounds, one block, and one steal. For her efforts, Trapino was named to the Region IV Division III All-Tournament Team.

For just the second time this season, the WolfPack made ten 3-pointers in a game, however, it was part of an overall 24 of 69 (34.8%) shooting performance while JJC was 31 of 63 (49.2%). Though both teams were equal in the turnover department, the 23 posted by Madison College marked their third game in the last four with 20 or more miscues. Joliet controlled the paint with a 50 to 18 advantage in interior scoring as they avenged a pair of regular season losses and picked up their third win in five postseason meetings with the 'Pack.

Also in a repeat of a year ago, the Wolves ((25-8) lost to Rock Valley College (19-12) by a 73-55 margin, sending the Golden Eagles to a second consecutive region title. Ranked #2 in the NJCAA Division III Poll, defending national champion Rock Valley advances to the NJCAA District B Championship and will take on NJCAA Region XII winner Columbus State Community College on Saturday, March 3 in Rockford, Illinois.

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