KENOSHA, WIS.—The #3 seed Carthage College women's basketball team welcomed #6 seed Elmhurst College to Tarble Arena for a match-up in one of the CCIW Women's Basketball Tournament Play-In Games that took place on Tuesday night. The Lady Reds were able to take care of business with a 61-53 victory over the Bluejays, which punches them a ticket to the CCIW Semifinal against #2 seed Illinois Wesleyan University at Wheaton's King Arena on Friday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m.
 
Bailey Gilbert and Autumn Kalis, who were each named to the 2018-19 All-CCIW Women's Basketball First Team on Tuesday, each registered 13 points for the Lady Reds. Post-players Rachel Szydlowski and Maggie Berigan each tacked on 11 points. Amanda Larson came through in a big way for Carthage as she led all players with a career-high 12 rebounds along with six points.
 
The Lady Reds attempted 26 shots at the charity stripe, where they converted on 16 of them thanks to six makes apiece from Gilbert and Kalis.
 
Carthage heads into the CCIW Semifinal with a 17-9 overall record while Elmhurst ends their 2018-19 campaign 10-16.
 
Lady Reds 61, Elmhurst 53
 
Carthage's bench came up big after Elmhurst jumped to a 9-4 lead with 6:21 left in the first as they scored the team's final 11 points in the frame. Micala Giammarino capped the Lady Reds' first-quarter scoring on a three-pointer with 0:41 left that gave her team a 19-13 lead before Elmhurst cut it to 19-16 with a Kellee Clay triple before time expired.
 
The Bluejays outscored Carthage 15-13 in the second quarter, and took a brief 31-30 lead before Gilbert's layup with 0:07 left pushed the Lady Reds' lead to 32-31 at halftime.
 
The third quarter saw three lead changes. Kalis's three-pointer and Berigan's jumper dug Carthage out of a 43-41 hole and gave them the lead for good at 46-44 heading into the fourth quarter, where they iced a 61-53 victory.