LISLE, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Junior
Margie Stevens (Oneida, Wis.) scored a game-high 24 points and Wisconsin Lutheran College weathered a late charge to secure a 71-64 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference victory over Benedictine on Saturday at Dan and Ada Rice Center.
The Warriors (10-5, 7-1 NACC) shot 41.7 percent (25 of 60) from the field, controlled the paint, and built a double-digit lead in the final period before holding off the Eagles down the stretch. BenU (10-5, 3-3 NACC) finished at 32.7 percent (18 of 55) shooting, including just 4 of 23 from 3-point range.
Freshman
Kenly Frey (Brookfield, Wis.) gave WLC an early 2-0 lead, but Benedictine led for the better part of the first quarter, including 14-9 with 4:19 remaining. Wisconsin Lutheran scored the final six points of the opening frame while keeping the Eagles off the scoreboard for the final four-plus minutes to take a 15-14 lead after one.
The Warriors tallied the first five points of the second quarter to cap an 11-0 scoring run after a 3-pointer from Frey and a jumper from freshman
Madeline Leffel (Germantown, Wis.). WLC stretched its lead to nine points with 0:40 seconds remaining after a Stevens jumper. Wisconsin Lutheran led 32-25 at halftime after limiting BenU to 11 points and 20 percent shooting in the period.
Stevens gave the Warriors their first double-digit lead of the game at 39-29 following a 3-pointer less than three minutes into the third quarter. Benedictine used a 10-2 scoring run to come within just two points with four minutes left, but WLC netted the final seven points of the quarter to build its lead back up to 48-39 heading to the fourth.
A 6-0 spurt early in the fourth quarter pushed Wisconsin Lutheran's lead to a game-high 14 points at 56-42 following a three-point play from Stevens. The Eagles chipped away at their deficit and came within five points twice, including 69-64 with just 0:19 seconds left.
Stevens led the Warriors with a game-high 24 points along with seven rebounds. Frey finished with 15 points, while senior
Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in addition to scoring seven points. Sophomore
Lily Oiler (Watertown, Wis.) also added seven points.
For BenU, Megan Duzansky paced three players in double figures with 22 points. She also added a team-high eight rebounds.
WLC returns home to host Lakeland (7-9, 4-4 NACC) on Wednesday, January 21, at 7 p.m. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
