Women's Basketball earns gritty win over Benedictine

MEQUON, Wis. – It wasn't the prettiest of games, but Concordia University Wisconsin showed its toughness and determination during a 65-54 victory over Benedictine University on Saturday afternoon inside the R. John Buuck Field House. The win has the Falcons atop the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings by a game-and-a-half.

Scoring points will always be the flashy way to get in the scorebook, but senior Ann Butler's nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and strong defensive play kept CUW in front when BU made a charge.

The lead changed eight times and the scoreboard was knotted three times in the opening half before the Falcons took a 36-33 advantage into the locker room at the intermission. A quick 10-2 scoring run to start the second period gave CUW its first double-figure lead of the game.

BU (5-8, 5-3 NACC) wouldn't go away and got within five points, 57-52, with 6:39 to play in the game. The Falcons responded with a 7-0 scoring run to give them their largest lead of the game, 64-52, with two minutes and 20 seconds remaining on the clock.

CUW scored 19 points off 19 BU turnovers, which proved to be the different down the stretch. The Falcons held the Eagle to four points over the final seven minutes of the game.

Sophomore Megan Coenen (Green Bay, Wis.) led all players with 14 points, while Butler (Kewaskum, Wis.) and freshman Tori Riechers (Cedarburg, Wis.) each had 12 points. Senior Katie Luethe (Oshkosh, Wis.) and sophomore Madelyn Landgraf (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) ended with 11 points apiece. Luethe pulled down eight rebounds and dished out four assists. Senior Camille Parsons (Urbana, Ill.) had five points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Vincenza Ranallo led the Eagles with 12 points, six rebounds and four steals. Meghan Novak scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Michelle Hamilton tallied 10 points. Briana Hamilton ended with six points and six rebounds off the bench.

The victory keeps CUW undefeated at home and it has won 14 of their past 15 games inside the R. John Buuck Field House.

CUW returns to NACC action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Dominican University.