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Women's Basketball

Strong Finish Sends Wisconsin Lutheran To NACC Title Game

Box Score

MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – The top-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran College women's basketball team closed the game on a 14-1 run to oust fourth-seeded Edgewood 59-48 in a NACC Tournament Semifinal game on Friday night inside the Recreation Complex. With the win, the Warriors will make their fourth NACC Tournament Final appearance in the last five seasons when they host second-seeded St. Norbert on Sunday afternoon.

  • Final Score: No. 1 Wisconsin Lutheran 59, No. 4 Edgewood 48
  • Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (22-1), Edgewood (13-13)
  • Location: Recreation Complex, Milwaukee, Wis.

  • The Warriors got it going offensively with five quick points from senior Kalies Birkholz (Watertown, Wis.), contributing to an 8-2 first-quarter lead.
  • Senior Abby Vavra (Mukwonago, Wis.) pulled down five rebounds in the opening quarter and took a charge, helping WLC hold a one-point lead at 10-9 heading into the second period.
  • Birkholz continued her hot shooting, making back-to-back three-pointers in a 30-second span, to help extend Wisconsin Lutheran's lead to nine points with 3:29 left until halftime.
  • The Eagles responded with a quick 9-0 run late in the second quarter, tying the score at 23-23 with 1:32 left.
  • Senior Ally Gough (Horicon, Wis.) canned a three with a minute remaining in the half, contributing to the Green and White's 27-25 lead at intermission.
  • The Warriors were hot from long distance in the first half, converting 5 of 12 attempts. Birkholz led all scorers with 11 points on 4-for-4 shooting heading into the third quarter.
  • Vavra netted the Warriors' first four points of the second half on two layups assisted by sophomore Kaitlyn Shadoski (Janesville, Wis.) and Birkholz.
  • Senior Jenna Mace (Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) caught fire in the third quarter, making a three-point shot as well as a driving layup to give WLC a seven-point lead at the 2:11 mark.
  • Edgewood responded with an 8-0 run, taking a one-point at 37-36 lead over Wisconsin Lutheran heading into the final quarter of play.
  • With six minutes to play, Gough drained another three-pointer, putting the Green and White in front at 43-41.
  • Sophomore Meggie Scott (Yorkville, Ill.) canned two free throws for the Warriors, tying the game at 47-47 with three minutes to play.
  • Mace converted a tough three-point play and Shadoski made a driving layup, as the hosts held a 52-48 lead with under a minute to play.
  • WLC ended the game on a 14-1 run, defeating the fourth-seeded Eagles 59-48 for its largest lead of the game. 
  • Mace paced all scorers with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Birkholz contributed 13 points. Sophomore Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) had six points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Scott chipped in eight points off the bench shooting 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
  • Wisconsin Lutheran outscored Edgewood 9-0 on second-chance points after outrebounding them 42-32.
  • The Green and White shot 31.7 percent (20-for-63) for the game and 30.4 percent (7-for-23) from beyond the arc. 

  • The Warriors host second-seeded St. Norbert (19-7) on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the NACC Tournament Final. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Green Knights defeated third-seeded Benedictine tonight 54-51. Live coverage links will be available for the game at WLCSports.com.

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Players Mentioned

Kalies Birkholz

#4 Kalies Birkholz

G
5' 4"
Senior
Ally Gough

#34 Ally Gough

G
5' 6"
Senior
Sam Leisemann

#21 Sam Leisemann

F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Jenna Mace

#3 Jenna Mace

G
5' 4"
Senior
Meggie Scott

#22 Meggie Scott

G
5' 4"
Sophomore
Kaitlyn Shadoski

#10 Kaitlyn Shadoski

F
5' 10"
Sophomore
Abby Vavra

#30 Abby Vavra

F
5' 10"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Kalies Birkholz

#4 Kalies Birkholz

5' 4"
Senior
G
Ally Gough

#34 Ally Gough

5' 6"
Senior
G
Sam Leisemann

#21 Sam Leisemann

5' 11"
Sophomore
F
Jenna Mace

#3 Jenna Mace

5' 4"
Senior
G
Meggie Scott

#22 Meggie Scott

5' 4"
Sophomore
G
Kaitlyn Shadoski

#10 Kaitlyn Shadoski

5' 10"
Sophomore
F
Abby Vavra

#30 Abby Vavra

5' 10"
Senior
F