MILWAUKEE – Lakeland University held Alverno College to just 11 field goals in the game and 18.0% shooting on the way to a 62-35 victory Wednesday night in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference women's basketball play.
The Muskies cruised to their most convincing win of the season so far and won consecutive games for the first time this year in improving to 3-6 overall. Lakeland also is 2-1 in conference play.
The Muskies limited Alverno (1-6 overall, 0-3 NACC) to 11-for-61 shooting, including just five makes in the first half. The mark is the lowest by a Lakeland opponent since Edgewood College shot 17.9% in a 64-32 Muskies win Jan. 18, 2017.
Lakeland trailed just once at 3-2 and needed less than a quarter to build a double-digit lead. A
Jenna Caterino (
So.-Stanton, Mich.) jump shot gave the Muskies an 18-7 lead late in the first quarter, and the lead would never fall below 10 the rest of the way.
The lead grew to 26-7 in the second quarter after a three-pointer by Caterino, and Lakeland held a 32-16 halftime lead while shooting 48.1% (13 of 27) in the first 20 minutes. The lead would grow to as many as 29 in the fourth quarter when
Alexa Yost (
Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) drained a three, and the Muskies substituted freely in the fourth, with 21 different players getting into the game.
Brianna Jones (
Sr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) led a balanced attack with 10 points plus five rebounds. Caterino,
Ellie Felsinger (
Sr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) and
Mackenzie Miller (
Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.) all scored eight points, and Felsinger and
Sydney Walker (
Jr.-Flint, Mich.) both finished with six rebounds each.
Kerstin Sauerbrei (
Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) also added career highs with five assists and three blocked shots.
Lakeland shot 41.4%, making 24 of 58 shots including 7 of 22 from three-point range (31.8%). In all 13 different players scored and no Muskie played more than 25 minutes.
Camiria Sardin led Alverno with eight points and 15 rebounds. Jewel Zahradka also added 10 rebounds. The Inferno did grab 15 offensive rebounds while Lakeland held a slim 47-43 rebounding edge for the game.
The Muskies are back to the road Saturday for a key NACC game again when they face Aurora University at 4:15 p.m. in Aurora, Ill.
