ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The No. 17 Lewis University women's basketball team went down to the wire with Quincy on Thursday night (Feb. 27) but walked away with their second straight GLVC Regular Season Championship.
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 24-2, 18-1 GLVC | Quincy 21-7, 15-4 GLVC
LEWIS LEADERS
Points: Taylor Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (20)
Rebounds: Gabi Hoover (Mishawaka, Ind./La Lumiere) (13)
Assists: Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley) (4),
Yahaira Bueno (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) (4)
Steals: Gugliuzza (2), Hoover (2)
Blocks: Hoover (7)
Head Coach Keisha Newell on the win:
"That was a fun game. Shout out to
Gabi Hoover (Mishawaka, Ind./La Lumiere) for her monster game. 13 rebounds and 7 blocks is truly dominant performance defensively. What an amazing achievement it is to win back to back regular season championships and finish undefeated at home. We are looking forward to staying locked in to keep this thing going."
GAME SUMMARY
The Flyers on their first possession of the game found the hands of
Ally Cesarini (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) who would drive for a layup to put two on the board.
Cierra McNamee (Moline, Ill./Illinois Central College) would come up with a steal and take it the other way for a layup.
Scoring would slow down for a few possessions but around the five minute mark. Hoover would sink a three to give Lewis the 9-7 lead.
The final minutes of the first quarter went back and fourth between the Hawks and the Flyers.
Kree Nunnally (Crystal Lake, Ill./Example Academy) would throw up a layup to give Lewis a short lead followed by a good jumper from Gugliuzza. A free throw by
Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and a layup by Cesarini made it a 16-16 game at the end of the first.
Out of the break McNamee went to line and walked away with only one. The Flyers went on a run throughout the second quarter and it started with a layup from Gugliuzza.
A three from Bueno and a layup by Badali put the Flyers up by six. Another drought of scoring for both teams was broken up by more Lewis scoring, specifically free throws from
Tara Gugliuzza (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and Badali, a three from Cesarini and a layup from Nunnally.
Nunnally would throw one more layup down before half to make it a 33-21 game with Lewis leading heading into the locker room.
Coming out of halftime, the Flyers started off strong but would hit a bit of a the Flyers would be outscored 23-14. The first points for the Flyers came from a layup by McNamee and a three by Gugliuzza. Her sister Tara would would snap a long cold streak with a layup but at the end of the quarter it was a 47-44 Lewis.
The Hawks struck first in the fourth from the bread line but Gugliuzza got back to work with a layup with the and one.
Jasmine Jones (Bolingbrook, IL/Bolingbrook) provided two free throws followed by a three pointer from Gugliuzza.
Gugliuzza would come up with a steal and a layup on the fast break for the Raising Canes Play of the Game which gave the Flyers an eight point cushion. As the game got tighter the Flyers held the lead and the ball and were put on the free throw line. Nunnally, Hoover, Badali and Gugliuzza would all hit shots to give Lewis the 66-62 win and their second GLVC Regular Season Championship in as many years.
UP NEXT
The Flyers head to Fayette, Iowa to take on Upper Iowa for their final game of the regular season starting at 1 p.m.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Be sure to join us Wednesday, March 26 as we induct our newest inductees of the Athletics Hall of Fame at the Flyer Red Dinner at Bolingbrook Golf Club starting at 6 p.m. CT. Purchase tickets at
https://lewisflyers.com/2025FlyerRedDinner
50 YEARS OF WOMEN'S ATHLETICS
Lewis University is also organizing several alumni and family events throughout the women's athletic seasons to commemorate this historic milestone. These special gatherings will provide an opportunity for former athletes, families, and supporters to reconnect and celebrate the achievements of women's sports at Lewis. The scheduled events include:
- Women's Tennis Alumni/Family Event – April 19
- Women's Lacrosse Alumni/Family Event – April 25
- Women's Softball Alumni/Family Event – April 26
- Women's Track Alumni Day – May 3
FLYERS ANNUAL FUND
Support the Flyers by making a gift to the Flyers Athletics Fund at
https://lewisflyers.com/202425AnnualFund
