March 6, 2009
Box Score
QUINCY, Ill. - Spurred by 12 points and a career-high nine assists from senior Jenna Mooberry (Byron, Ill./Byron), the Lewis women's basketball team defeated defending conference champion Drury 73-61 on Friday afternoon in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament.
Lewis took their first lead of the game at 5-3 when sophomore Kelly Monaco (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) sinked a 3-pointer off the glass. Sophomore Kady Currin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) followed with her first of three 3-pointers in the opening half to extend Lewis' lead.
The Flyers made it 31-26 with 3:37 remaining in the first when Currin founed Turpel for a fastbreak layup. It forced Drury to call a timeout, despite a media timeout at the next whistle. On the Panthers' next possession Monaco took a tough foul on an illegal screen set by Drury.
The Flyers made it 35-28 going into the break when Turpel found Mooberry open underneath the basket.
In the second, Currin's fourth trey, a Monaco jumper and then a Monaco corner 3-pointer made it 49-35 with under 13 minutes remaining.
Monaco took a charge on the ensuing possession to setup a Turpel 3-pointer that extended the Lewis lead to 17 points.
Senior Mandie Morelock (Poplar Grove, Ill./North Boone) came off the bench to extend the Lewis lead to 20 points at 61-41 with a 3-pointer at 7:49. Solid Lewis defense never let the Panthers back in the contest.
Turpel finished with 18 points and four boards. Currin and Monaco each had 14 points. Mooberry added 12 points and a career-high nine assists.
Lewis limited Drury to just 36.5 percent shooting. Drury's leading scorer Lindsay Ballweg had just 13 points in 20 minutes after early foul trouble.
"I consider Jenna to be one of the best defenders in the conference and she showed it today as she was on Lindsay for most of the game," head coach Lisa Carlsen said.
Lewis improves to 16-12. Drury falls to 19-9. The road doesn't get easier for the Flyers, as they will play defending National Champion No. 2 Northern Kentucky on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. in the semifinals of the GLVC Tournament. Lewis led Northern Kentucky at halftime when the two clubs met last Saturday, but the Norse pulled away late.
