Balanced Attack Sends Women's Basketball Sprinting Past Sabres

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Five players scored in double figures as Wisconsin Lutheran College set a new season high for points in an 88-42 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win over Marian on Wednesday at Sadoff Gymnasium.

The Warriors (10-6, 7-2 NACC) held an early 5-1 lead before the Sabres (4-12, 3-6 NACC) knotted the contest at 9-9 with 3:37 left in the first quarter. WLC pulled away from a one-point lead by scoring the final eight points of the opening quarter, including six straight from sophomore Kara Troxel (Bonduel, Wis.) for a 20-11 lead.

MU trailed by eight points at 24-16 at the 7:40 mark of the second quarter before Wisconsin Lutheran rattled off a 16-0 scoring run to take a commanding lead. The Warriors extended their lead to a first-half best 27 points at 50-23 as the buzzer sounded. Sophomore Madi Manson (Arvada, Colo.) netted 10 points in the period for WLC, which shot an even 50 percent in the opening half.

Wisconsin Lutheran's lead hovered between 26 and 31 points through the first five minutes of the third quarter, but a 12-0 run sent the advantage to 74-33 after a fastbreak layup by sophomore Lexy Smit (Brandon, Wis.). The Warriors, who shot over 58 percent in the period, maintained their 41-point lead at 76-35 through the end of three quarters.

WLC netted the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to open up a game-high 51-point lead after sophomore Alyssa London's (Freeport, Ill.) three-pointer. London, senior Simeon Schult (Wausau, Wis.), and sophomore Haley Ott (Germantown, Wis.) accounted for all of Wisconsin Lutheran's fourth-quarter scoring.

Sophomore Ella Ten Pas (Oostburg, Wis.) led a balanced scoring effort with a season-high 15 points. Troxel tied a career high with 14 points, sophomore Ainsley Howard (Jefferson, Wis.) poured in a season-high 11 points, while Manson and junior Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) had 10 points apiece. Leisemann also added nine rebounds and six assists. Junior Meggie Scott (Yorkville, Ill.) also dished out six dimes.

The Warriors shot an even 50 percent (34-for-68) for the game and out-scored Marian 36-3 in points off turnovers and 48-18 in the paint. WLC posted season-highs for field goals made (34) and steals (15). 

Kiara Williams scored nine points to lead the Sabres, who shot 31.7 percent (13-for-41) for the game.

Wisconsin Lutheran continues its two-game conference road week on Saturday with a 4:15 p.m. matchup against Concordia Chicago (8-7, 7-3 NACC). Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.