CHICAGO, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Freshman
Madeline Leffel (Germantown, Wis.) led three players in double figures with 17 points and Wisconsin Lutheran College won its fifth straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game on Saturday, 70-29, over Illinois Tech at Keating Sports Center.
The Warriors (14-5, 11-1 NACC) jumped out to a 15-0 lead late in the first quarter over the Scarlet Hawks despite not making their first field goal until the 6:38 mark. WLC held IIT without a made field goal in the opening period, scoring 15 points off 10 forced turnovers. Freshman
Maddie Ratzow (Oconomowoc, Wis.) scored seven points as Wisconsin Lutheran led 19-2 after one.
The majority of the second quarter featured back-and-forth scoring, as the Warriors maintained their 17-point lead with two minutes to play. WLC's biggest run of the period came in the final two minutes, as Leffel and sophomore
Lily Oiler (Watertown, Wis.) each hit three-pointers to cap an 8-0 run for a 36-11 halftime cushion. Leffel led Wisconsin Lutheran with seven points in the quarter.
The Warriors made their first three shots of the third quarter, setting the tone for the rest of the period. WLC, which shot over 64 percent from the floor, extended its lead to 37 points through three quarters by closing with a 7-2 spurt for a 58-21 advantage. Leffel again paved the way with seven points, including the team's only three-pointer in the frame.
Four different players spearheaded a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter that put Wisconsin Lutheran ahead by a game-high 44 points at 67-23. Freshman
Abbie Cropsey (Freedom, Wis.) tallied four points and four rebounds, and the Warriors held Illinois Tech to less than 10 points in a quarter for the third time in the game.
WLC finished the game shooting 47.5 percent (28-for-59). Leffel paced three players in double figures with a season-high 17 points. Junior
Margie Stevens (Oneida, Wis.) followed with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Ratzow added 12 points. Senior
Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.) led the team with nine rebounds and three steals. Freshman
Kenly Frey (Brookfield, Wis.) distributed a game-high five assists.
For the Scarlet Hawks (2-17, 2-11 NACC), Chloe Churilla scored 12 points and Halle Williams grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. IIT was held to 21.7 percent (10-for-46) for the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran travels to Aurora (17-3, 11-2 NACC) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. NACC showdown. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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