Box Score
Box score
LISLE, Ill. - The Wisconsin Lutheran College
women's basketball team improved to 11-0 in the Northern Athletics
Conference after defeating Benedictine, 70-62, Thursday night at
the Dan and Ada Rice Center.
The Warriors started fast Thursday as they jumped out to an 18-8
lead just six minutes into play. BenU answered back, however, as
they cut the WLC lead to 26-21 with 8:29 remaining in the opening
half. The Eagles then trimmed the margin to four points with 6:38
remaining, but the Warriors ended the half strong and took a 40-30
lead into halftime.
Junior Melanie Laete (Spokane, Wash./Evergreen Lutheran) scored
a first-half best 10 points to lead Wisconsin Lutheran as the
Warriors shot 51.5 percent (17-for-33) from the floor in the first
20 minutes. The Eagles countered with 40.7 percent (11-for-27)
shooting in the opening half and were led by Michelle Gaede who
scored nine points in the period.
The second half saw WLC lead by double-digits for a majority of
the half before BenU cut the Warriors lead to five points at 60-55
with 4:08 remaining in the game. The Eagles came within four at the
2:29 mark but Wisconsin Lutheran closed strong and pulled away with
the 70-62 victory.
The Warriors ended the game shooting 47.3 percent (26-for-55)
from the floor while holding Benedictine to 38.6 percent
(22-for-57) percent shooting. The Warriors also narrowly won the
turnover battle, forcing 17 turnovers compared to committing 15,
but WLC scored 21 points of those forced turnovers compared to just
12 points off turnovers for Benedictine.
Laete finished with a game-high 14 points for WLC and was one of
three players to finish in double-figures for the Warriors. Also
scoring in double-digits were seniors Alyssa Allister (Lake Mills,
Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) with 11 and Carrie Thoma (Richfield,
Wis./Hartford Union) with 10. Thoma also pulled down a game-best
eight rebounds for Wisconsin Lutheran.
Benedictine (9-10, 7-4 NAC) was led by Gaede who scored a
team-best 13 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Alanna
Ferry and Vincenza Ranallo chipped in with 11 and 10 points,
respectively.
Wisconsin Lutheran (16-2, 11-0 NAC) returns to action Saturday
when it hosts Lakeland (8-12, 6-7 NAC) at the Recreation Complex.
Tip-off between the Warriors and Muskies is set for 2 p.m. Live
audio, stats, and video will be available for the game at
wlcsports.com. WLC's 15 1,000-point scorers will be honored as part
of Saturday's contest.
