Dura Sets Eureka Assist Record
Eureka College sophomore guard Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) scored 11 points and distributed seven assists, increasing her season assist total to 154 to break the program's single-season record for assists in the Red Devils' 78-54 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference triumph at Iowa Wesleyan, Wednesday night in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Dura, who already has the fourth-highest single-season assist total in SLIAC history, broke Deb Kessinger's Eureka record of 148 set during the 1990-91 season. Dura entered Wednesday's tilt in Mount Pleasant ranked fourth in Division III in total assists this season.
Eureka (17-7, 12-3 SLIAC) trailed the hosts for much of the first quarter until Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) connected from beyond the arc for a 12-10 advantage at the 4:31 mark. Sarnes' field goal highlighted a 14-0 EC run midway through the period. The visitors led 24-15 after 10 minutes.
The Red Devils used another big run in the second quarter, an 11-0 blitz that doubled up the Tigers, 38-19, after an Ashley Harfst(Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac H.S.) bucket with 3:31 to go in the half. Eureka held IWU scoreless for more than five minutes during their run and took a 38-24 lead into the locker room.
Eureka led comfortably throughout the second half. Sarnes scored to push the lead to 20, 50-30, with 2:00 left in the third quarter. Another Sarnes triple allowed Eureka to claim its biggest advantage of the night, 74-48, in the final two minutes of regulation.
Hayley Reneau (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) scored a game-high 20 points, one of four Red Devils to reach double figures. She also finished with five steals. Lexi Dooley(Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) logged a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Kerrigan Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) collected a game-high 12 boards. Sarnes tallied 16 points off the bench.
Lastella Slack scored 14 points for the hosts. IWU (4-19, 4-11 SLIAC) shot 31 percent (22-for-70) from the field.
Despite Wednesday's outcome in Mount Pleasant, Greenville won at Spalding to clinch the outright SLIAC regular-season title and the right to host next week's SLIAC Tournament. Eureka is locked into the 6 p.m. semifinal game against Webster on Friday, Feb. 23 in Greenville. The host Panthers will play a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the 8 p.m. semifinal.
Eureka will return home for its regular-season finale Saturday at 1 p.m. against Fontbonne at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena. Reneau and Kerrigan Dura will be honored immediately following the game as part of EC's annual Senior Day ceremony.
STORY COURTESY OF EUREKA COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
