LAKELAND, Fla. – The Lewis University women's basketball team fell, 71-52, to Eckerd College Friday (Dec. 15) at the Century Retail Christmas Classic hosted by Florida Southern. Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (19 points, 8/16 from the field) and Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill.) (14 points, 7/12 from the field) both recorded season-highs in scoring.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Schmidt (19), McNamee (14)
Rebounds: Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (6)
Assists: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (7)
Steals: Gugliuzza (2)
Blocks: Gugliuzza (2)

RECORDS
Eckerd 5-4 | Lewis 6-4

SUMMARY
Both offenses started slow, as neither team scored in the first three minutes before an Eckerd three-point shot to get the scoring started. The Tritons pushed the lead to 8-2 in a hurry, but a 7-2 charge from Lewis capped by a three from Schmidt brought the Flyers back to within one.

A deep ball from Badali tied the game at 12 with two minutes to go in the first, but Eckerd once again went ahead, leading 16-14 at the end of the quarter.

The Tritons outscored the Flyers 10-4 in the first four minutes of the second quarter. Later in the frame, back-to-back baskets made the lead a game-high 11 points.

Lewis responded with a pair of threes by Badali and Schmidt, and finished the first half trailing 35-30. The Flyers were hitting the offensive glass well in the first half with six offensive rebounds, but struggled to capitalize on those opportunities with just two second-chance points.

Eckerd made its first two baskets of the second half to bring the lead back up to nine points. Lewis punched back with two straight possessions scoring second-chance points, with a three-pointer by Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) trimming the deficit to four, 39-35.

Unfortunately for the Flyers, that was as close as it would get the rest of the way. Later in the quarter, a 12-5 run for the Tritons pushed the lead back up to 11 before a bucket by Schmidt made it 53-44 Eckerd heading to the fourth quarter.

The Tritons started the final frame with a 12-2 charge to put the game out of reach at 65-46. McNamee scored all eight points for Lewis in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball faces host Florida Southern in the Century Retail Christmas Classic Saturday (Dec. 16) at 1 p.m. CT.