Box Score  / Box Score 

Somers, Wis. – The Lewis University women's basketball team outlasted the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 63-58, in a Great Lakes Valley Conference Monday (Jan. 21) match-up at DeSimone Gymnasium.
 
The Flyers improve to 12-3 on the year and 5-2 in GLVC action while the Rangers fall to 9-6 on the season and 3-4 in conference play.
 
“I was proud of how we fought tonight,” Lewis head women's basketball coach Lisa Carlsen said. “It wasn't pretty at times but we did what needed to do down the stretch.”
 
After UW-Parkside's Sierra West put in a layup to tie the contest at 6-all at 13:54 in the first half, the Flyers went on a 14-6 run to go up by eight points, 20-12, on a three-pointer by sophomore Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI). Lewis got a basket from junior Alexus Grayer (Washington, Ill./Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington), four points from sophomore Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) and a three-pointer and two free throws by senior Sam Rinehart (Marion, Iowa/Marion) (Marion, Iowa/Marion).
 
The Flyers built their lead to eight points before the Rangers went on a 9-0 run in just under two minutes of play to take the lead 27-26 at 3:01 on a Jaleesa Trussell layup.
 
After a called timeout, the Flyers would go on a 7-2 run to close out the half up 33-29, capped by a Rinehart three-pointer. Sophomore Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) executed a fast break layup while freshman Mariyah Henley (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) hit two free throws during the run.
 
In the second half, UW-Parkside briefly held a one-point lead on Lewis, 38-37, after UWP's Kiah Simon drained a free throw. The Flyers put some space in the score on a basket by freshman Sophie Lichte (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) (Reedsburg, Wis./Reedsburg) and two from Reinhart, but the Rangers' Jenna Endisch would hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 43-all at the 13:00 minute mark.
 
After Henley hit a free throw and Reinhart made two free throws and a jump shot, the Flyers lead expanded to four points, 48-44, at 8:53. UW-Parkside's Sierra West got the Rangers within one when she hit a three-pointer in the next play.
 
UW-Parkside would erase each lead the Flyers built but could only get within one point three more times in the half, the last coming at 1:06, when Danielle Slivka went 1-of-2 at the free throw line.
 
Senior Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) and Reinhart would each make two free throws in the last ten seconds of the game to give the Flyers the 63-58 victory over the Rangers.
 
“Jess played like we all know she's capable of,” Carlsen said. “She really stepped up when we needed her and she played with a lot of confidence.”
 
Reinhart would lead the Flyers with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting and made 8-of-9 free throws. She also pulled down seven rebounds in the contest. Rinehart chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds.
 
Lewis heads back to Neil Carey Arena to host Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday (Jan. 24) for a 5:30 PM tip-off.