Lakeland College

Lakeland owns the inside, fights off Alverno 59-51

Athletics - posted on 12/4/2012

Leah Eisner(Jr.-Stevens Point, Wis.) and Becky Mayo (Sr.-Gladstone, Mich.) dominated play in the paint area and the Lakeland College women's basketball team worked hard to earn a 59-52 win over Alverno College in a Northern Athletics Conference game Tuesday night at Woltzen Gymnasium.

Eisner finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds and Mayo added 16 points and eight rebounds to lead four Muskies scoring in double figures. Lakeland won its second game of the season to improve to 2-5 overall and 2-5 in the NAC, while upstart Alverno dropped to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference.

An efficient second half for the Muskies made the difference in a game that included three ties and 15 lead changes. Lakeland shot 11-of-21 (52.4%) with just six turnovers in the second half, withstanding a sloppy first half and coming through late to win.

The Muskies took the lead for good with a 7-0 run late in the second half. Dana Henrichs (Sr.-Fall Creek, Wis.) hit two free throws to put Lakeland ahead for good at 39-37 with 7:31 left, and Eisner scored inside the next time down for a 41-37 lead.

Alverno got within a point on a three-pointer by Kristen Speerschneider making it 41-40 with 4:20 left, but Lakeland took control down the stretch. Taylor Jandrin (Jr.-Forestville, Wis.) hit a big three-pointer, Mayo scored seven straight points, and the Muskies hit eight consecutive free throws in the final minute to put the game away.

Alverno led 24-23 at halftime as Anna Boteva hit four three-pointers, helping the Inferno withstand 7-for-25 shooting in the first half. The Muskies committed 13 turnovers in the first half but stayed close as Eisner had 10 points and six rebounds by halftime.

Eisner was 9-of-14 from the field for the game and Mayo was 6-of-9 from the floor as the shorter Alverno team struggled to handle both players in the paint. Jandrin added 11 points, including three three-pointers, and Henrichs added 10 points to give Lakeland four players in double figures.

The Muskies shot 44.4% for the game (20-of-45) and 14-for-17 from the free throw line (82.4%). Alverno shot 37.3%, making 19 of 51 shots, but stayed close with six three-pointers in 13 attempts. Five came from Boteva, who led the Inferno with 15 points.

Lakeland is home again Thursday night to host Maranatha Baptist Bible College at 7 p.m. at the Woltzen Gymnasium. A Red Out has been schedule for the night, with the teams playing to raise awareness of heart health in conjunction with the American Heart Association.