KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Lewis University's women's basketball team overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and then had to hold off a furious rally in the final 2:30 minutes for an 80-79 win at Truman State on Saturday afternoon at Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Mo. The Flyers picked up their sixth straight win to improve to 10-5 overall and 7-0 in the GLVC while the Bulldogs dropped to 10-4, 6-1 GLVC.

Lewis led by 12 with 3:34 left in the contest on a three-pointer from Katie Gardner (Franklin, Wis./Pius XI) but Truman began chipping away at the lead a minute later. Katey Klucking converted a four-point play hitting a three and a free throw to cut the margin to eight with 2:33 remaining.

After a turnover by the Flyers, Klucking hit her second consecutive three in the span of five seconds to cut the margin to five. The Bulldogs got another stop forcing a turnover with 2:01 left and took advantage on the other end. Hannah Belanger was fouled on a drive to the basket and hit both free throws with 1:47 remaining.

Lewis silenced the run momentarily as Rachel Hinders (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) worked her way through the paint to score to push the lead back to five with 1:22 left.

Truman had three chances on the other end to cut into the lead and missed all three. Forced to foul, the Bulldogs fouled Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) who missed both free throws with 0:51 to play.

Truman's Sloane Totta missed a three but Klucking got the offensive rebound and was fouled. She made the first but missed the second and Katie Jaseckas got the rebound and was fouled. She went to the line and missed both as Morgan Glatczak (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) got the rebound.

Forced to foul again, the Bulldogs sent Hinders to the line where she made 1-of-2 to extend the lead back to five points.

Truman struck quickly on the other end as Jaseckas hit a jumper from the left elbow to cut the lead to 79-76 with 0:19 remaining.

The Bulldogs again fouled Hinders and again she made 1-of-2 to extend the lead to back to four points.

Klucking answered again with a three from the left wing with less than 10 seconds to play to cut the lead to a point.

Kaitlyn Williams (Homer Glen, Ill./Joliet Catholic) was fouled with 0:07 left and missed both free throws allowing Truman the final shot.

Klucking's three-point attempt was blocked by Glatczak as the clock run out allowing the Flyers to prevail in the back-and-forth contest.

Lewis shot 52 percent (26-for-50) from the floor in the contest, was 8-of-18 from three and shot 77 percent at the foul line. It outrebounded the Bulldogs 38-to-29. Hinders led all scorers with 28 points, matching her career-high, while Williams finished with a career-high 20 points and also handed out eight assists. Gardner added 10 points and Glatczak had nine points and nine rebounds.

The Bulldogs shot over 44 percent (30-for-68) from the field, was 10-of-27 from beyond the arc but shot only 64 percent at the foul line. Klucking led three Truman four players in double figures with 21 points while Jaseckas added 19 points.

The Flyers conclude their three-game road trip on Monday traveling to Springfield, Ill., to take on Illinois Springfield at 5:30 p.m.