KISSIMMEE, Fla. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College came up just short on Sunday, dropping a 55-54 non-conference decision to Messiah in the opening game of the Sunshine Classic at Kissimmee Civic Center.
The Falcons (8-2) set the tone early, using a 7-0 first-quarter run to build an early double-digit lead at 17-6 with 3:21 remaining. MC shot 57.1 percent in the opening quarter and led 21-16 after one, despite the Warriors shooting 63.6 percent and scoring five straight to close the quarter to keep the deficit manageable.
WLC (6-4) settled in during the second quarter, maintaining a single-digit deficit for the entire period. Wisconsin Lutheran trimmed its deficit to just two points at 22-20 after freshman
Alexis Beger's (Plymouth, Wis.) layup with 7:56 on the clock. Messiah built its lead back up to a second-quarter high nine points, before heading into halftime in front 33-27.
The Falcons threatened to pull away in the third quarter, extending their lead to a game-high 14 points midway through the period after a 10-2 run. The Warriors responded with a strong closing stretch, using a 7-0 spurt late in the quarter to trim the margin to 46-40 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The fourth quarter featured a dramatic finish. WLC erased a seven-point deficit with a 10-2 run that gave them its first lead of the game at 54-53 with 0:28 seconds remaining on a fast-break layup from senior
Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.). MC answered at the free-throw line with five seconds left to regain the lead, and Wisconsin Lutheran's final attempt at the buzzer came up short.
Junior
Margie Stevens (Oneida, Wis.) led the Warriors with 15 points, freshman
Kenly Frey (Brookfield, Wis.) finished with 13, and freshman
Maddie Ratzow (Oconomowoc, Wis.) added 11. Freshman
Abbie Cropsey (Freedom, Wis.) paced the team with eight boards. The Warriors, who held notable advantages in points in the paint (34-18) and bench scoring (17-5), finished the game shooting 41.8 percent (23-for-55) from the field.
Messiah shot 41.2 percent (21-for-51) for the game and was led by Liv Monturo's 16 points. April Kauffeldt collected a game-high 12 rebounds.
WLC continues Sunshine Classic play on Monday, December 29, when it faces No. 13 Illinois Wesleyan (7-3) at 1 p.m. CT. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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