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Springfield, Mo. – The Lewis University women's basketball team extended their winning streak to five games with a 78-55 victory in their Great Lakes Valley Conference opener against Drury on Thursday (Jan. 3) at the O'Reilly Family Events Center in Springfield, Mo.
 
The Flyers improve to 8-1 on the season, 1-0 in the GLVC, while the Lady Panthers fall to 6-4, 0-2 in the conference.
 
“We again had great balance and played with great energy,” Lewis head women's basketball coach Lisa Carlsen said. “We were aggressive against their pressure and rebounded well.”
 
The teams opened the contest with two ties and two lead changes with in the first four minutes. An aggressive Lewis squad kept Drury on their heels, out-rebounding the Lady Panters (26-20), earning more fast break points (4-0) and getting more help off the bench (10-8).
 
The Flyers went on an 11-2 run to close out the first half with a 38-27 lead over the Lady Panthers. Drury cut down Lewis' lead to two points with 3:19 left, but the Flyers hit three straight three-pointers, including two by freshman Alyssa Dengler (Chicago, Ill./Trinity) take a commanding lead. Dengler posted a career-high eight points on 3-of-5 shooting and pulled down two rebounds.
 
Sophomore guard Nikki Nellen (New Berlin, Wis./Pius XI) led the Flyers with nine of her 11 points in the first-half and matched a career-high nine assists.  
 
In the second half, senior Labrenthia Murdock (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) helped Lewis continue to put pressure on Drury. Murdock found her shooting stroke in the period, scoring 12 of her 17 points with two three-pointers, four free throws and a jump shot.  
 
The Flyers' lead expanded to 28 on two free throws by sophomore Kristin Itschner (Metamora, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) at the 4:27 mark. Itschner finished the game with 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal.
 
Sophomore Jess Reinhart (Normal, Ill./Bloomington Central Catholic) scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds while senior Sam Rinehart (Marion, Iowa/Marion) scored 11 points and corralled eight rebounds.
 
The Flyers finished with 52-39 rebounding advantage over the Lady Panthers to take their fifth road game of the season. Drury was led by Emilie Gray with 21 points and eight rebounds. Kalea Parks was the other Lady Panther in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Lewis continues on the road in GLVC action when they take on Missouri S&T on Saturday (Jan. 5) in Rolla, Mo., at 1 PM.