ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The Lewis University women's basketball team fell to Ferris State 85-77 Wednesday (Nov. 17) at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers fall to 0-3 on the season, while the Bulldogs move to 2-1.
 
Ferris State jumped out to an early 8-3 advantage before a basket by Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and a three-pointer by Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) tied the score at 8-8. Lewis took its first lead of the game at 13-12 at the 3:02 mark of the first quarter on a pair of free throws by Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie).
 
The Bulldogs responded with seven straight points before Hilber stopped the run with a jumper. The quarter ended with Ferris State ahead 21-18.
 
After the Bulldogs opened the second quarter with a basket, the Flyers answered with an 11-0 run to take a 29-23 lead as Hilber scored five points during the run and Shawnton Brown (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central) scored the final four points of the run.
 
The two teams traded baskets the rest of the half and the Flyers went into the break with a 37-31 advantage.
 
A quick five points from Badali gave Lewis a 42-31 lead to open the third quarter, but the Bulldogs responded with 12 straight points to take a 43-42 lead with 6:46 left in the third quarter.
 
Badali stopped the run with another three-pointer to take the lead back and added another one to put the Flyers ahead 49-47 with 4:33 remaining in the third.
 
After a three-pointer by Ferris gave it the lead back, the Flyers scored seven straight points to pull ahead 56-50 and they led 59-52 heading into the fourth quarter, thanks to a Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) three with two seconds left.
 
The Bulldogs cut back into the deficit early in the fourth quarter and evened the score at 62-62 with 7:31 remaining in the game. The teams went back-and-forth with Badali giving the Flyers a final lead on a pair of free throws with 3:10 remaining.
 
Ferris State scored the next five points before a Badali layup made it 74-73 with 1:18 left. A Schmidt three-pointer cut the lead to 77-76 with 51 seconds left, but a three-pointer on the other end and free throws sealed the game for the Bulldogs.
 
Badali led the Flyers with 22 points, including five three-pointers. Schmidt added 14 points and seven rebounds, Hilber had 13 points and three steals and Kae Barth-Lofton (St. Paul, Minn./Maranatha Christian Academy) had 10 points.
 
The Flyers shot 24-of-55 (43.6 percent) from the floor, while Ferris State shot 22-of-56 (39.3 percent). However, the Bulldogs went 31-of-36 (86.1 percent) from the free throw line and had 23 second chance points to nine from the Flyers, outrebounding Lewis 43-23.
 
Lewis returns to action Saturday (Nov. 20) for a 1 p.m. tip with No. 8 Ashland at Neil Carey.