MARQUETTE, Mich. – Lewis University's women's basketball team dropped its season opener to Michigan Tech 75-71 on Saturday morning at the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. The Flyers are 0-1 while the Huskies are 1-0.

Lewis fell behind 16-3 to start the game but chipped away at the lead getting to within six by the end of the first quarter. Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) led the Flyers with 10 points in the frame while Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) and Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) added five and four points respectively.

MTU extended its lead to seven midway through the second quarter before Lewis went 13-4 run over a span of 5:15 to take its first lead of the contest at 39-37 with 0:09 left in the half on a pair of free throws by Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie). The Huskies got a layup from Daisy Ansel with 0:03 left in the half to tie the game at the intermission.

The Flyers finished the first half shooting 45.1 percent (14-for-31) from the field, were 4-of-13 from three (30.7 percent) and shot 88 percent (7-for-8) at the charity stripe. Badali led Lewis with 12 points in the half while Schmidt added 11 and Gugliuzza chipped in with seven points.

Michigan Tech shot 60 percent (18-of-30) from the floor in the first 20 minutes, was 3-for-7 from three and didn't attempt a foul shout. It outrebounded the Flyers 19-9 in the half. Ansel and Ellie Mackay combined for 21 of the team's 39 points.

The third quarter was a see-saw affair with the two sides going back and forth. The Flyers led by as many as five in the quarter at 55-50 on a three-pointer by Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) with 3:11 remaining in the period. The Huskies though scored the final seven points of the frame to take a 57-55 lead into the final 10 minutes.

Lewis scored the first five points of the final quarter to take a three-point lead on a jumper by Hilber 2:25 into the stanza. The lead went back-and-forth over the next several minutes with MTU ahead 66-64 with 3:12 to go. The Flyers had a chance to tie the game with 2:43 remaining but Gugliuzza made only 1-of-2 at the foul line and then on the ensuing possession Mackay hit a 3-pointer to put the Huskies up by four.

Lewis cut the lead to two with less than a minute to go and again had a chance to tie the game but Gugliuzza missed a jumper and Schmidt was tied up on the rebound giving the ball back to Tech with 0:15 left. The Huskies nearly turned the ball over on the inbounds pass but were able to recover and call a timeout with 0:11 remaining.

The Flyers were forced to foul and sent Alex Rondorf to the line and she hit two free throws with 0:09 to go to seal the victory.

Lewis finished the game shooting 43.5 percent (27-for-62) from the floor, was 9-of-23 (39.1 percent) from downtown and shot 67 percent (8-for-12) at the foul line. The Flyers forced 21 Huskie turnovers and had eight steals. Hilber had a game-high 19 points to lead Lewis and she was joined in double figures by Badali with 17, Schmidt added 16 and Gugliuzza had 13 points.

Michigan Tech was led in scoring by Mackay with 18 points while Ansel and Rondorf added 14 and 13 points respectively. The Huskies shot 56.1 percent (32-of-57) from the floor, were 8-for-16 from three and shot 60 percent (3-of-5) at the foul line. They outrebounded the Flyers 38-22.

Lewis is back in action on Sunday afternoon taking on Northern Michigan at 1:15 p.m. (CST).