MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) - Junior
Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) tied a career-high with 21 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds to lead second-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran College past fourth-seeded Concordia Wisconsin 64-51 on Thursday in a NACC Tournament Semifinal game at the Time of Grace Center.
The Warriors (19-7) advance to the NACC Tournament Final against top-seeded St. Norbert (23-3) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in De Pere.
WLC trailed 10-6 to the Falcons (16-11) at the 4:28 mark of the first quarter, but closed the opening period with a 12-0 scoring run to take a 22-12 lead into the second quarter.
CUW netted the first four points of the second stanza to come within five at 22-17. Wisconsin Lutheran scored all of its second-quarter points over the next six minutes, amounting to an 8-0 run to open a 13-point lead. The Warriors, who held Concordia Wisconsin to just 1-for-15 shooting in the period, went into halftime ahead 30-18.
Sophomore
Kara Troxel's (Bonduel, Wis.) jumper 0:30 seconds into the third quarter gave the Warriors their largest lead of the game of 14 points. The Falcons responded with their biggest run of the game of seven points to cut the deficit in half, but four straight from Leisemann pushed the lead back to 11 points with 5:27 remaining. A three from senior
Ally Gough (Horicon, Wis.) put WLC in front 44-31 with 2:13 left. Wisconsin Lutheran went into the fourth quarter holding a 45-36 lead behind a game-high 60 percent shooting in the quarter.
Leisemann scored the first four points of the fourth period for a 13-point advantage. CUW answered with a 6-0 scoring spurt to close within seven points with 5:20 on the clock. The visitors would get no closer the rest of the way, as the Warriors went 7-for-8 from the free throw line over the final 1:09 to seal the semifinal win.
Leisemann recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 21 points and 19 rebounds to lead WLC. Ten Pas was the other player in double figures with 16 points. Junior
Meggie Scott (Yorkville, Ill.) chipped in with seven points and five assists. Wisconsin Lutheran, which outscored Concordia Wisconsin 32-18 in the paint and 16-7 off the bench, shot 43.4 percent (23-for-53) for the game.Â
Lily Guerra was one of two players in double figures with 16 points for the Falcons, who shot 29.6 percent (16-for-54) for the game.
The Warriors will make their 13th appearance in the NACC Tournament championship game on Saturday when they travel to St. Norbert for a 1 p.m. tip-off. The winner receives the NACC's automatic berth into the 2023Â NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.
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