WLC Closes Out CUW For First NACC Win

MEQUON, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Senior Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) recorded her fourth double-double of the season and Wisconsin Lutheran College used big second and fourth quarters to capture its first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win of the season on Wednesday, a 60-47 victory over Concordia Wisconsin at the R. John Buuck Field House.

The Warriors (4-3, 1-1 NACC), who won their fifth straight road game in the series, outscored the Falcons (4-4, 1-1 NACC) 37-18 in the second and fourth quarter. 

WLC faced its largest deficit of the game just over five minutes into the first quarter, falling behind 10-3. Junior Mack Hogenson's (Neenah, Wis.) three-pointer with 0:50 seconds left evened the score at 13-13 and capped a 10-3 scoring run. CUW carried a 15-13 lead into the second quarter.

Concordia Wisconsin held a 21-17 advantage at the 7:06 mark of the second quarter before an 11-0 scoring run put Wisconsin Lutheran ahead by seven. Four different players found the scoring column during the biggest run of the game for either team. A three-pointer from junior Ainsley Howard (Jefferson, Wis.) with 0:31 seconds left gave the Warriors a 31-23 halftime lead.

Baskets from Leisemann and Howard within the first two-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter opened up a 12-point WLC lead, but a 10-0 Falcons' scoring run brought them within two at 35-33 with 3:35 remaining. Wisconsin Lutheran went into the fourth quarter holding a 41-37 lead.

CUW trailed 45-42 with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter, but a 9-0 scoring run, capped by a three-pointer from junior Lexy Smit (Brandon, Wis.) pushed the lead back to 12 with four-and-a-half minutes left. Wisconsin Lutheran's advantage never dropped below double-digits the rest of the way, as it led by a game-high 15 points with just 0:24 seconds on the clock.

Leisemann led the Warriors with 17 points and 14 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Howard and junior Kara Troxel (Bonduel, Wis.) added eight points each. WLC, which outscored Concordia Wisconsin in points off turnovers, points in the paint, second chance points, fast break points, and bench points, shot 39.6 percent (21-for-53) for the game.

Ava Booth tied a game high with 17 points to lead the Falcons, who were 20-for-49 for 40.8 percent from the field.

Wisconsin Lutheran hosts UW-Eau Claire (3-3) on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. in the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.