ST. LOUIS - For a third consecutive season Lewis women's basketball is going to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Semifinals. The 2011 trip is thanks to a 62-55 victory over Drury on Friday evening in the GLVC Tournament second round. The game was played on the campus of Maryville University.

The Flyers did it with defense, limiting Drury to 20-of-60 (33.3 percent) shooting.

"Tonight was probably our best defensive game of the year," head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "Everyone that played had an important role in that at some point tonight."

The Flyers made their first five 3-point attempts in the game. The barrage from long range helped Lewis keep it tight in the opening half when they were struggling to finish inside. Drury was finding similar luck from long range as 12 of the first 16 baskets of the game were 3-pointers. Lewis finished the first half 8-of-12 from 3-point land. That helped Lewis hold a 28-27 lead at the break.

A jumper by senior Jenny Turpel (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) and then a corner 3-pointer for sophomore Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) gave Lewis a 33-27 lead early in the second half. Drury rallied back to knot the game up at 36 with 13:50 remaining. Over the next four minutes 19 total points were scored with both teams quickly pushing the ball up the court possession after possession. The span helped Lewis take a 47-44 lead with just under 10 to play. A Murdock floater in the paint gave Lewis a 54-46 lead with under four minutes to play. It was a free throw contest from there with Lewis winning by a final tally of seven points.

Lewis limited GLVC Freshman of the Year Bethanie Funderburk to eight points.

"Kady frustrated the heck out of her (Funderburk), especially in the second half," Carlsen said. "You throw in Labrenthia's defense on Jones in the second half and those are two huge reasons we won."

Ja'Neil Jones for Drury, who entered the game averaging 15.6 points per game, had 15 points, but made just 6-of-20 shots.

Lewis finished 11-of-17 from 3-point range. Senior Kelly Monaco (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) finished 4-of-7 from long range for 12 points.

"When Kelly comes out and is on fire you know it is going to be a good night," Carlsen said.

Turpel had 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior Kady Currin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) also had 12 points with five assists. Murdock had 10 points, all coming in the second half.

It is the second time in three seasons Lewis has defeated Drury in the GLVC Tournament and ended Drury's hopes of defending their previous GLVC championship.

Drury falls to 19-9. Lewis improves to 13-15. The Flyers will play the No. 2 seed UW-Parkside on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the GLVC Semifinals. A win advances Lewis to the GLVC Championship game on Sunday.