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ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Lewis women's basketball lost their first Great Lakes Valley Conference game of the 2011-12 season on Saturday (Dec. 3) afternoon as the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers defeated the Flyers 75-59 at Neil Carey Arena.

The game changed on a 12-5 Kentucky Wesleyan run over the final five minutes of the first half. It turned a slim 27-26 Panther advantage to a 39-31 Kentucky Wesleyan halftime lead.

Lewis scored the first four points of the second half but another Panthers' run soon followed and Lewis was forced to ask for time with 13:19 remaining and the Panthers holding a 49-37 advantage.

The Flyers struggled from the floor, shooting just 38.3 percent (23-of-60). Kentucky Wesleyan shot 47.4 perecent (27-of-57).

“I don't think we got very good shots today,” Lewis head coach Lisa Carlsen said. “When we tried to counter their aggressiveness we had some good looks but other than that we had lots of forced and pressured shots.”

Katie Behrens, Lauren Goffinet and T'Essence Phelps all had 12 points for Kentucky Wesleyan.

Lewis won the rebounding battle 38-32 but was hampered by 23 turnovers.

“We had a lot of people trying to do it all themselves today,” Carlsen said. “I understand that mentality but you have to trust the system.”

Freshman Jamie Johnson (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) (South Holland, Ill./Marian Catholic) finished with a game-high 15 points. Junior Sam Rinehart (Marion, Iowa/Marion) (Marion, Iowa/Marion) scored 13 points. Junior Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) added 10 points, three steals and two blocks.

The Flyers fall to 3-4 (1-1 GLVC). Kentucky Wesleyan improves to 5-2 (2-0 GLVC). Lewis is back in action on Thursday against Saint Francis (Ill.) in a non-conference contest at Neil Carey Arena. Start time is set for 7 p.m.