Flyers Hang Tough With Drury Before Falling :: Moskal ties career best of 26 points in 85-68 regional loss

March 11, 2006

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A 3-point shooting barrage in the second half propelled host and No. 1 seed Drury to an 85-68 win over No. 5 Lewis Saturday night in an NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional semifinal game.

Drury, ranked No. 5 nationally and unbeaten at home this season, improved to 30-2 and advanced to Monday night's regional title game against No. 2 seed Grand Valley State. Lewis concluded the season 19-11.

Lewis, playing in the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive season, finished the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 35-33 lead into the locker room. Darcee Schmidt scored 13 points and Mary Moskal added nine to pace the Flyers in the opening period, and senior Cassie Stark's 3-pointer ignited the run that put Lewis on top at the break.

Drury quickly tied it at 35, then took the lead for good with a trey by Allison Regier. That was a sign of things to come, as Drury was 10-of-15 from beyond the arc in the second half to finish the game 12-of-26.

Lewis kept its composure before a loud, partisan crowd of 2,011 in Drury's Weiser Gym, assembling a 6-0 mini run to trail just 49-45. But an 18-6 Drury outburst, punctuated by a pair of 3-pointers, gave the hosts a 67-51 cushion and firm command of the proceedings.

Moskal tallied 17 second-half points and led all scorers with 26 for the game, tying her career high. The Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year was 10-of-10 at the foul line and added a team-high eight rebounds.

Schmidt finished with 17 points, while senior Shante Glenn collected 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in her Flyer finale. Glenn finished as Lewis' No. 8 career scorer with 1,273 points.

Lewis shot .542 overall, including a blistering .750 in the second half. But the Flyers were just 1-of-7 from 3-point range, all in the first half, and committed 13 second-half turnovers.

Drury's Amanda Newton scored 21 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Molly Carter scored 15 points, Regier netted 11, and Kara Rutledge and Becky Flippin added 10 apiece.