Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Lewis' women's basketball team advanced to the semifinal round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament with a 68-57 win over William Jewell on Friday afternoon at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Ill. The Flyers improve to 26-3 while the Cardinals end their season with a record of 14-13.
Lewis opened the game knocking down four of their first six shots and raced out to a 12-3 lead less than four minutes into the game. William Jewell scored five quick points to cut the lead to 12-8 on a jumper from Sydney Offield 70 seconds later. The Flyers dominated the final five minutes of the frame scoring eight of the last 10 points to extend their lead to 20-10 at the quarter break.
Lewis stretched its lead to 12 midway through the second quarter but the Cardinals got a three from Natalie Denzer to trim the margin to nine with 5:01 left in the stanza. The Flyers countered with an 11-4 run to build its largest lead of the half at 38-24 on a three-pointer by
Rachel Hinders (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) with less than a minute to play in the half. Kiara Bradley scored on a layup with 0:31 left to cut the Lewis lead to 12 at the half.
The two sides swapped baskets for the first six minutes of the third quarter as the Flyers continued to hold their double digit lead. William Jewell cut the margin to 48-40 on a jumper from Natalie Closser with 1:41 left in the frame but the Flyers closed out the quarter strong scoring the final six points to take a 54-40 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Lewis extended its lead 17 near the midway point of the final quarter on a free throw by
Tierney Lockett (Richton Park, Ill./Rich South). However, the Cardinals refused to go away going on a 10-1 run over the next three minutes to cut the Flyer lead to 65-57 after a jumper by Kayla Harrell. Lockett then sealed the game on the ensuing possession converting an old-fashioned three-point play for the final margin.
Lewis finished the game shooting 45.8 percent (27-for-59) from the floor but was only 6-of-22 from three and shot 53 percent at the foul line. It outrebounded William Jewell 38-to-33 in the contest.
Jessica Kelliher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) led all scorers with 25 points while grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds. Lockett added 21 points while Hinders finished with 14 points.
Gabby Green (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) dished out nine assists.
The Cardinals shot 41 percent (23-for-56) from the field, was 4-of-16 from three and shot 64 percent at the foul line. Antoinette Mussorici led three Jewell players in double figures with 14 points while Bradley finished with 13 and Harrell had 11.
The Flyers will take on Bellarmine in the semifinal round of the GLVC Tournament on Saturday (March 9) at 6 p.m. at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Ill.
