ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Lewis University women's basketball team fell, 73-66, at Maryville Thursday (Feb 1).

LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (14), Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (14), Ally Cesarini (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) (12), Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (11)
Rebounds: Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) (12), Cesarini (11)
Assists: Gugliuzza (4)
Steals: Hilber (1), Cesarini (1), Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) (1), Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (1)
Blocks: Tay. Gugliuzza (2)

RECORDS
Maryville 12-8 (8-6 GLVC) | Lewis 11-8 (10-3 GLVC)

SUMMARY
Schmidt scored the opening basket for Lewis, but Maryville quickly responded with a 9-2 run to grab the 9-4 lead. A 6-0 push from the Saints late in the first helped Maryville secure a 20-13 lead after 10 minutes.

Two layups by Schmidt brought the Flyers within three early in the second quarter. Lewis struggled offensively for the rest of the frame, though, scoring just five more points before halftime and headed to the locker room down 13, 35-22.

The Flyers were first to score once again in the third as Tay. Gugliuzza and Hilber earned the first two baskets. Then, both offenses started to heat up, scoring 10 points each in less than five minutes, until the score stood at 45-36 for the Saints.

Maryville scored the next four points but Lewis pushed back with two baskets of its own and the game headed to the final frame with the Saints ahead, 49-40.

The Flyers hit back-to-back three-point shots, by Cesarini and Badali, to open the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to three, 49-46. Two more threes by Badali later got Lewis back to within three points at 57-54.

Both sides kept going back-and-forth, with a deep ball from Hilber making the score 67-64, Maryville, with 36 seconds left to play. From there, though, the Saints made six consecutive free throws to put the game away before a layup from Tar. Gugliuzza made the final score 73-66.

It was a breakout game for Cesarini, who earned her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The freshman easily beat her previous high marks of four points and three rebounds.

UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball concludes the weekend road trip at Missouri S&T Saturday (Feb. 3) at 1 p.m. CT.