KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Lewis University women's basketball team fell, 55-53, at Rockhurst Saturday (Jan. 13). The loss was the Flyers' first in GLVC play this season, but Lewis retains first place in the conference at 8-1.

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (13), Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (10), Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (10)
Rebounds: Schmidt (9)
Assists: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (3)
Steals: Hilber (2), Gugliuzza (2)
Blocks: Gabrielle Hoover (Mishawaka, Ind./La Lumiere) (2)

RECORDS
Rockhurst 9-4 (6-3 GLVC) | Lewis 9-6 (8-1 GLVC)

SUMMARY
Lewis started slow, failing to score on its first four possessions. The Flyers then got going with a jumper by Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill.) and a three-pointer from Hilber.

Later in the first, another three by Hilber gave Lewis its first lead of the game at 12-11. Rockhurst responded with a deep ball of its own and led 14-12 after the opening quarter, as Hilber had eight of the Flyers' 12 points.

It was all Lewis to start the second quarter, as an 8-0 run with three points each from Gugliuzza and Schmidt put the Flyers ahead 20-14. Lewis kept up the defensive pressure throughout the quarter, holding the Hawks to seven points on 2/8 shooting.

Another three-point basket by Hilber made it 29-21 Flyers at halftime,

McNamee opened the third quarter with a layup to give Lewis a 10-point lead, the largest of the game for either side. Rockhurst responded with an 8-0 push to cut the deficit to two.

After the Flyers scored on back-to-back possessions, the Hawks scored the next six points to tie the score at 35. Four points from Alayna Soukup (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) late in the third allowed Lewis to head to the final frame clinging to a 39-38 lead.

Rockhurst took the lead for the first time since early in the second quarter with a pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter. The Flyers bounced back with a 7-0 charge centered around a three-pointer from Schmidt to go ahead, 46-40.

The Hawks once again turned to the three-point shot to get back in it, going on a 9-2 run with three triples to take a 49-48 lead. Rockhurst would finish the game shooting 11/25 (.440) from deep.

Both sides then traded deep balls as Gugliuzza put Lewis on top before the Hawks went back ahead on the next possession. After trading free throws in the final 10 seconds, Hilber's three-point attempt at the buzzer came up empty and Rockhurst held on for the 55-53 victory.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball heads home for a major GLVC matchup against McKendree, currently sitting at second in the conference at 7-1. Tipoff from Neil Carey Arena Thursday (Jan. 18) will be at 5:30 p.m. CT.