ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The Lewis University's women's basketball team earned its third straight win of the season after beating University of Missouri – St. Louis 67-55. Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) canned a season-high five 3-pointers and scored a season-high 23 points in the win.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (23), Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (15), Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (10)
Rebounds: Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (7), Stephanie Hart (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) (5)
Assists: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (8)
Steals: Schmidt (2) and Badali (2)

RECORDS
Lewis (5-5, 4-1 GLVC) | University of Missouri – St. Louis (2-6, 1-3 GLVC)

SUMMARY
UMSL led 11-2 early with two minutes into the game. Badali helped Lewis quickly cut into the deficit with back-to-back 3-pointers.

The Tritons would answer back with two layups in the final minute of the quarter to extend the lead back to eight. At the beginning of the second quarter, Lewis went on a 5-0 run thanks to a midrange jump shot by Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) and an open 3-pointer in transition by Hilber.

With three minutes remaining in the first half, UMSL was able to bring the lead back to six but the Flyers outscored the Tritons 12-2 to close the second quarter. Three consecutive layups were made by Schmidt, Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) and Shawnton Brown (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central), before Hilber nailed two 3-pointers in the final minute to give Lewis its first lead of the game.

The Lewis defense that gave up 20 points in the first quarter, managed to hold the Tritons to 4-of-14 shooting in the second quarter. The Flyers also knocked down four threes in the second quarter as they shot 8-of-13 from the field.

Schmidt of Lewis and the Tritons Morgan Ramthun traded 3-pointers to kick off the second half. Over the next six minutes, the Tritons shot 2-for-9 from the field while Lewis shot 5-for-7, helping the Flyers grab a double-digit lead. Throughout the run, Hilber knocked down her fifth 3-pointer, her most in a game thus far this season.

In the fourth quarter, UMSL managed to cut the lead down to six after back-to-back jump shots from Amaya Blake but over the next four minutes, the Flyers would go on an 11-0 run to gain its largest lead of the game at 17.

Lewis held onto to the double digit lead and won its third straight contest, as well as its fourth GLVC win of the season. The Flyers shot 52.1 percent (25-of-48) from the field and shot 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from behind the arc. As the team, Lewis made eight of its 13 free throw attempts, dished out 15 assists and collected six steals.

UP NEXT
Lewis returns to action Monday, December 19 to host the University of St. Francis (Ill.) at Neil Carey Arena starting at 2 p.m. CT.