Box Score: CUW 69, MSOE 57

MEQUON, Wis.- Concordia University Wisconsin kept building significant leads and the resilient MSOE Raiders kept working their way back into the game, before one final push secured a 69-57 Falcon women's basketball win Saturday afternoon during Northern Athletics Conference play inside the R. John Buuck Field House.

CUW only trailed twice in the game at 4-2 and 5-4 and built a 30-24 half time lead behind six late points by senior reserve Brittney Toles (South Beloit, Ill.).

The hard-working Falcons increased their margin to 41-30 five minutes into the second half before the Raiders, who lead the NAC South with a 6-2 record, came charging back. MSOE scored 10 straight points over the next three minutes and reduced that double figure deficit to a single digit.

A jumper by sophomore Camille Parsons (Urbana, Ill.) cut that string, and CUW eventually widened their margin to a seemingly safe 57-44 count with five minutes left.

That's when the Raiders put together their final run to get within 59-53 with 3:43 remaining before the Falcons sealed the contest at the charity stripe by hitting 10-of-12 down the stretch.

As always, CUW's statistics featured balanced scoring. Senior Kendall Kerns (Stoughton, Wis.) led the Falcons with 16 points, including 7-of-10 shoting from the floor. Sophomore forward Katie Luethe (Oshkosh, Wis.) totalled 15 points, senior Brittany Zietlow (Oak Creek, Wis.) added 13 points and junior guard Tiffany Hendrickson (Ingleside, Ill.) tallied 11 points.

Brilliant 24-of-29 shooting (83 percent) from the free throw line kept CUW in control despite a 31-22 rebound disadvantage.

One key to the win was controlling the supporting cast of MSOE all-conference performer Carol Cayo. The "Raider Dominator" finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds, both game-highs, but only one other MSOE player reached double figures.

"We knew they would give us a battle and we knew they would have some runs, but we countered their best rallies and I am proud of my team," said Coach Stacey Brunner-Jones.

Cayo was 8-of-11 from the floor, but her less-effective teammates were a collective 14-40 (35 percent) and committed 15 turnovers. CUW shot 45 percent from the floor.

Brunner-Jones' Falcons, now 9-2 in NAC action, host Maranatha Baptist Bible College next Thursday at 7:00 p.m.