Lewis Athletics
Luke Rinne, Director of Athletic Communications
ST. LOUIS – Lewis University’s women’s basketball team shot a blistering 79.2 percent (19-for-24) from the field as it outscored Maryville, 49-23, in the second half in its 80-65 win on Thursday at Moloney Arena in St. Louis, Mo. The Flyers improve to 5-3 overall and in the GLVC while the Saints drop to 2-4 overall and in the conference.
Lewis started out on fire as it opened the game on a 7-0 and extend its lead to as many as 12 at 19-7 after a three-pointer from Kaitlyn Williams (Homer Glen, Ill./Joliet Catholic) with 2:07 left in the opening frame. Maryville closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to cut the Flyer advantage to 21-16.
The Saints carried that momentum into the second quarter outscoring Lewis 19-4 over the first six minutes of the stanza to take a 35-25 lead. The Flyers cut the lead to six after a pair of free throws from Grace Hilber (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) with 1:54 remaining in the half but the Saints scored the final five points of the frame including a three from Antoinette Mussorici in the closing seconds to take a 42-31 lead into halftime.
Lewis was even hotter in the third quarter than it was to begin the game as it knocked down seven of its first eight shots erasing Maryville’s halftime lead in the first three-plus minutes of the second half tying the game on a layup from Zarrea Coleman (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor).
Maryville got back-to-back three’s Jayda Jensen and Olivia Kastens to retake the lead at 48-42 but the Flyers were undeterred answering right back with a 13-2 run to take the lead for good at 53-50 on a three-pointer from Jenna Badali (Oak Lawn, Ill./Mother McAuley).
Lewis shot a blistering 86 percent (12-for-14) from the floor in the third quarter to take a 60-54 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The Saints opened the fourth quarter scoring five of the first seven points to cut the Flyer lead to 62-59 more than a minute in. That would be the closest they got though as Lewis outscored them 18-6 over the final 8:32 to pull away for the victory.
The Flyers shot 63.3 percent (31-for-49) from the field for the contest which is fourth best in a single game in school history. Lewis also went 9-for-13 (69.2 percent) from three and shot 75 percent at the foul line. The Flyers outrebounded Maryville 40-25 in the contest.
Kathryn Schmidt (Hampshire, Ill./Burlington Central) finished with a career-high 24 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. She was joined in double figures by Badali with 16 points, all in the second half, while Hilber and Kae Barth-Lofton (St. Paul, Minn./Maranatha Christian Academy) had 11 points apiece. Lewis had nine players score in the contest.
Mussorici finished with a game-high 25 points to lead the Saints. She was joined in double figures by Jensen with 22 points and Karlee Feldman added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Maryville shot 39 percent (25-for-65) from the floor, was 7-of-26 from three and shot 53 percent at the foul line.
The Flyers continue their three-game road trip on Saturday as they travel to Lebanon, Ill., to take on McKendree at 1 p.m. Lewis was originally supposed to play at Lindenwood at Saturday, but that game has been postponed due to COVID protocols at Lindenwood.