Dec. 9, 2006

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Paced by a career-high 35 points from Darcee Schmidt, the Lewis Flyers handed the Southern Illinois Edwardsville Cougars their first loss of the season, 68-56, Saturday afternoon in Great Lakes Valley Conference action at the Vadalabene Center.

Lewis improved to 7-2 (3-1), while the Cougars fell to 6-1 (3-1) on the season.

Schmidt was unstoppable in the game, shooting 15-of-20 from the field and draining a career-best 5-of-7 shots from 3-point range. Amazingly, she reached her point total without attempting a single free throw. Schmidt also pulled down nine rebounds, dished out three assists and had one block.

Schmidt's 35 points were seven more than her previous career high and only five fewer than the Lewis all-time record of 40 by Carey Jewell against Northern Kentucky during the 1999-2000 season. Schmidt's 15 field goals were two shy of the Lewis record of 17 by Julie Fruendt against Valparaiso during the 1984-85 season. Schmidt became the first Flyer to reach 30 points since Shante Glen scored 30 on Feb. 12, 2005.

After exchanging the lead with Southern Illinois Edwardsville a couple of times in the game's opening minutes, the Flyers took a lead they would never relinquish when Schmidt buried her first 3-pointer of the game at 15:44.

By halftime the Flyers led by 12 and Schmidt already had 16 points. The Cougars closed to within eight points early in the second half, but a Kelly Dianis 3-pointer with 13:05 to play but the Flyers back up by double-digits. Lewis maintained a double figure advantage the rest of the way, leading by as many as 18 along the way.

Jenna Mooberry scored 10 points for Lewis, while Dianis, Erin Cox and Brittney Diener each added five points.

Whitney Sykes led the Cougars with 16 points, and Amber Shelton had 15 points.

The Flyers shot 46.4 percent from the field, while limiting the Cougars to a 29.8 percent effort. Lewis out-rebounded the Cougars 39-32.

The Flyers next action will take place in the Bahamas, as the Flyers face Wheeling Jesuit on Dec. 18 and Hillsdale on Dec. 20.