ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Lewis University women's basketball team won, 78-59, over Maryville Saturday (March 9) in the Great Lakes Valley Conference semifinals. The Flyers charged ahead with a huge second quarter, outscoring the Saints 25-6 in the frame.
LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (20),
Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) (18),
Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (13),
Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill.) (10)
Rebounds: Gugliuzza (9), McNamee (7)
Assists: Badali (4), Gugliuzza (4)
Steals: Badali (3)
Blocks: Schmidt (3)
RECORDS
(1) Lewis 22-8 | (4) Maryville 19-11
SUMMARY
Lewis took an early lead with Hilber scoring the first four points of the game and each of the first six for the Flyers. Jumpers by Gugliuzza and Badali brought the Lewis lead to 10-3.
Maryville came charging back with an 11-2 run to take a 14-12 lead. McNamee made a layup to tie it but the Saints made the final basket of the first quarter to carry a 16-14 advantage after 10 minutes.
Lewis came flying out in the second quarter with a 12-0 run to regain the lead at 26-16 including five points from Badali on the charge. After four points from Maryville, the Flyers went on a 13-2 push before halftime with five points from Hilber and four from McNamee.
In the second quarter, Lewis was dominant on both ends of the floor, going 11/20 (.550) from the field while holding the Saints to just 2/16 (.125) with six turnovers. The Flyers held a 39-22 lead at the half.
Early in the third quarter, Maryville was slowly cutting into the deficit, getting it down to 14 at 47-33. Lewis then went on a 5-0 run as Gugliuzza made a layup and then assisted on a three by Badali to bring the lead up to 19 at 52-33.
The Flyers' offense slowed down from there, scoring just four points the rest of the quarter. The Saints were able to trim the deficit to 56-41 heading into the fourth.
Maryville then opened the final frame with a 7-2 push to get within 10, 58-48, but that was as close as it would get the rest of the way. Jumpers by
Lily Courier (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) and Hilber restored Lewis' lead to 62-48 with 5:59 to play.
The Saints had one last push, hitting a three-pointer with 3:58 to go that made it 66-56 but the Flyers responded with a 12-2 run to put the game away and win 78-59.
UP NEXT
Lewis women's basketball heads to the GLVC Championship Game for the third consecutive season. The title match tips off Sunday (March 10) at 1 p.m. CT with the Flyers facing No. 3 seed Drury. Lewis beat the Panthers, 72-69, back on Nov. 30 when the two teams met in Romeoville, Ill. during the regular season, with Gugliuzza scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the win.
