Falcons Hook the Muskies

PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The CUW women's basketball team traveled to Lakeland for the first competition of the new year.

The Falcons came out screaming with a 6-0 run in the first two minutes. The Falcons never looked back as they held the lead for the rest of the 39 minutes and 26 seconds. Of the 13 first-quarter points, both junior Lindsey Smitsdorff (Coon Rapids, Minn.) and senior Camryn Szolyga (Waukesha, Wis.) scored four points each.

The Falcons jumped out to their biggest lead of the half with a 15-point lead with a pair of free throws from freshman Paige Zirbel (De Pere, Wis.). The Falcons ended the half with 35 points and a 12-point lead over Lakeland.

The Falcons started the third quarter on an 8-2 run pushing their lead to 18 with a basket from Smitsdorff. 

The Falcons finished the quarter with a 50-34 lead heading into the final frame.

Lakeland started to creep back when they cut the lead to nine with four and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Falcons quickly squashed the hope of a comeback as they hopped back to the biggest lead of the game of 19-points with a pair of free throws from freshman Lindsey Lonigro (Deerfield, Wis.).

The Falcons finished the game with a final score of 68-51. The Falcons shot 42.3 percent from the field with 22 field goals and 20-24 free throws for 83.3 percent. This was the highest free throw percentage for the Falcons of the season passing their last mark of 81.3 percent against No. 19 Wheaton.  

The squad was led in points by Smitsdorff, notching yet again another double-double with a 19 point and 19 rebound performance. Three other Falcons scored in double digits against the Muskies. Szolyga, Lonigro, and junior Reagan Obry (Neenah, Wis.) recorded 14-point, 13-point, and 13-point games.

The Falcons are back in the Buuck on Saturday as they face off in a battle of the Concordias against Concordia Chicago.