Laker women beat Lewis in home opener
SAULT STE. MARIE - Three players scored in double figures as the Lake Superior State women's basketball team shot an impressive 51 percent from the field to beat Lewis 74-54 Saturday during the first round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference vs. Great Lakes Valley Conference Challenge.
Emily Joseph led the Lakers (4-0) with 19 points, while Jackie Armstrong had 16 and Alyssa VanderWal added 13. The trio combined to make 19-of-26 field-goal attempts.
VanderWal also finished with 11 rebounds to notch her fourth straight double double. Joseph, who also had five assists, and fellow guard Shelle Rochon were a combined 5-of-7 from three-point range.
Armstrong scored eight of the Lakers' first 12 points as they jumped to a 12-2 lead. After Lewis (0-1) cut the lead to seven points, VanderWal hit a jumper and Rochon a three-pointer for a 19-6 LSSU advantage. Lewis also cut the lead to seven points, 24-17, with 4:25 remaining in the first half, and Lake Superior State answered with a seven-point run that included a three-pointer by Ronlea Peterson, and two free throws each by VanderWal and Joseph. The Lakers went on to lead 31-21 at halftime.
After Lewis made the first field goal of the second half, Joseph scored five points during another LSSU seven-point run. The Lakers enjoyed a comfortable 18-point command, 53-35, midway through the second half.
LSSU out-rebounded Lewis, 39-27, and made 26-of-51 field-goal attempts for 51 percent. The Lakers shot 94.1 percent (16-of-17) at the free-throw line.
Devon Carbaught scored 12 points to lead Lewis, which shot 34.4 percent from the field (21-of-61) and 87.5 percent at the free-throw line (7-of-8).
The Lakers play host to Wisconsin-Parkside during the second round of the GLIAC v. GLVC Challenge at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
