by LISLE, Ill. – 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.
