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MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's basketball team played host to Truman State Sunday afternoon in its final exhibition before officially beginning the 2010-11 campaign at Iowa State on Nov. 13. The Bulldogs had three players in double-figures and shot 44 percent from the field in a 61-54 victory over the Fighting Leathernecks at Western Hall.

Sophomore Jackie Rieger finished the game with a team-high 16 points and pulled down three rebounds. Junior Sadie Webb had a strong second half and finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Michele Salvatori and Karli Abbey each handed out four assists.

"You need to be mentally prepared every night to come play defense and rebound, and we were not ready to do that when Truman State walked in the gym today," Western Illinois head coach Leslie Crane said. "It's a lesson and we have to learn from it pretty quick. We will stay with it and get better in practice."

Truman State jumped out early and held a 19-11 lead with just over eight minutes left in the first stanza. Truman State extended their lead to a 27-16 mark with 4:37 remaining before halftime. However, the Leathernecks held the Bulldogs scoreless for the final 3:57 of the first half. The visitors took a 29-23 lead into the break.

The Fighting Leathernecks were led by Rieger, who collected six points in the opening frame. Senior Erica Lewis dropped in five points in the first half while senior Anne Borgertpoepping dished out three assists and brought down two boards to go with her two points. 

The deficit would hang around ten points as the two teams progressed through the second half. At the 12:30 mark the Bulldogs held a 42-31 lead. Western Illinois continued to hang around and would not go away. Rieger was strong early in the second half as she kept it close with six more points to bring her total to 12. Western crept back into it when Webb was fouled on the shot and added the free throw to bring the score to 46-39 in favor of the Bulldogs with seven minutes to play. Rieger dropped in two from the charity stripe to bring the deficit to 50-45. 

Webb dropped in a fast break layup to pull within three at 51-48 with two minutes to play. Valencia Kelly hit a jumper from the baseline to keep it close at 56-52 with just over 30 seconds to play. Western was forced to send Truman State to the free throw line and the Bulldogs converted their free throws to secure the victory.  

The women will travel to Ames, Iowa to face the Cyclones of Iowa State Saturday at 7 p.m. Last season, Iowa State fell to eventual national champion Connecticut in the Sweet 16.