Dec. 16, 2003

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The Lewis University women's basketball team topped 100 points for the first time in 13 years and freshman Darcee Schmidt (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) scored the most points by a Lewis player this season as Lewis defeated Saint Xavier 105-83.

The Flyers' (6-3) final tally tied the third-highest scoring output in school history. The last time the team reached the century mark was December 6, 1990.

The game bordered on a track meet for stretches with both teams racing back and forth for baskets and turnovers.

"We kinda played ugly," said Lewis head coach Lynn Plett. "We weren't in sync very well and took some marginal shots in the first half. But, we shot better and played better defense in the second half and that made the difference."

Saint Xavier (9-2) prefers to press and play up-tempo, and the Flyers beat them at their game. The game was just 46-44 at halftime, but Lewis outscored SXU 59-39 as it outran the Cougars in the second half.

The team received a spark from freshman Megan Thompson (pictured right ) for a five-minute stretch in the second half that Plett noted as the turning point in the game.

"We needed someone to give us a jolt so we could get that one run we needed to give us some breathing room," said Plett. "When Megan came on she got us going."

From 13:57 to 8:54 of the second half, Thompson recorded five assists and four points and pulled down a pair of offensive rebounds that helped Lewis convert a 59-56 lead to a more comfortable 78-64 margin.

Schmidt paced the Flyers netting 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting and was 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Her 26 points top fellow freshman Mary Moskal (Cherry Valley, Ill./Rockford Boylan)'s 24-point performance in the season opener as the team's highest scoring mark this season.

"Darcee is playing with a lot of confidence in her inside and outside game," said Plett. "She very rarely takes bad shots and is just a versatile player for us."

Bryanne Callahan (Seneca, Ill./Seneca) added 18 points and was 6-of-10 from the field. Moskal contributed with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. Kim Harris (11 points, three 3-pointers) and Tracy Buchholz (11 points) also cracked double-digits for the Flyers.

Lewis will host Lake Superior State in a non-conference game Saturday, December 20. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m.

12/16/03