PLYMOUTH, Wis. – A young and very green Lakeland University women's basketball team saw its season get off a bumpy start in a 71-34 loss to Carthage College Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies displayed the inexperience of a team that lost nearly 80% of its scoring and returned just two regulars from its rotation last year, struggling with turnovers and cold shooting. Carthage won the first meeting between the teams in eight years and also won the battle of first year coaches with Megan Jones making her debut with the Firebirds and
Ashley Lona coaching her first game for Lakeland.
The season opener was ragged for both teams, who combined for 49 turnovers including 25 by Lakeland and 24 for Carthage. The visiting Firebirds had the better shooting night, though, hitting 39.3% of their shots, and especially gained some separation by hitting 9 of 23 from three-point range (39.1%).
The Muskies fell behind 20-2 after less than 11 minutes and shot 21.3% from the field for the game, making 13 of 61 shots. Lakeland also committed nine turnovers as Carthage built the early 18-point lead, and the Firebirds took a 38-12 lead into halftime.
Jenna Caterino (
Jr.-Stanton, Mich.) provided most of the Muskies highlights in the first half, scoring all 10 of her points in the first 20 minutes for a career high. Lakeland settled down some in the second half and seven different players finished in the scoring column in all, including
Brooklyn Wayer (
So.-Pewaukee, Wis.), who scored seven points, all in the third quarter.
Bree Arsenault (
Sr.-Hermansville, Mich.) also added six points on a pair of three-pointers.
Freshman
Dani Damrow (
Elkhart Lake, Wis.) led Lakeland with five rebounds and
Jenna Shea (
Fr.-Appleton, Wis.) added five points and four rebounds off the bench in the second half.
Alexis Johnson (
So.-Sheboygan, Wis.) also finished with three steals.
Lauren Knight led Carthage with 20 points, including hitting 5 of 7 three-point attempts. The Firebirds made 25 of 63 from the field for the game and also posted a big 54-34 rebounding edge.
The Muskies go on the road for their next two games, starting with a trip to face Northland College on Saturday at 2 p.m. up north in Ashland, Wis.
