Lakeland's Kristi Thill was fouled as she pulled down an offensive rebound with 14 seconds remaining and the game knotted up at 63-63. Thill, who entered the game as a 50% free-throw shooter on the year, drilled both attempts to put the Muskies on top 65-63. Hoping to force overtime, Buena Vista's Katie Maguire launched a two-point shot as time expired but was unable to connect.
Kelli Staley registered 19 points, eight rebounds, and four steals to lead Buena Vista. Tracy Hartwig added 11 points as the Beavers lost their second consecutive game by three or fewer points. Maguire, who was 0-8 from three-point range, contributed 10 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds for Buena Vista, which as a team shot 38% from the floor and made just two of eight free throws on the night.
Lakeland was led by Sasha Falish's 18 points and seven rebounds. Thill added 17 points and eight rebounds while Beth Porter contributed 13 points and eight rebounds. The Muskies won despite getting outrebounded (41-40) and committing five more turnovers than the Beavers. Lakeland shot 42% from the floor and made nine of 11 free throws.
Lakeland jumped out to a 15-5 advantage early in the game before Buena Vista went on a 21-3 run en route to taking a 33-29 lead into halftime. The Beavers led by as many as 12 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, 54-42. Lakeland proceeded to go on a 18-6 spurt over the next eight minutes to tie the game at 60, which eventually set up Thill's late game heroics.
Buena Vista will attempt to get its first victory of the season on Sunday by squaring off against Finlandia University. The contest at Mitchell Hall on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will begin at 1 p.m.
Newspaper Box Score Lakeland College vs Buena Vista University 11-26-05 5:00 p.m. at La Crosse, WI (Mitchell Hall) At La Crosse, WI (Mitchell Hall) LAKELAND COLLEGE 65, BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY 63 LAKELAND COLLEGE (2-2) Falish, Sasha 7-11 0-0 18; Thill, Kristi 5-15 6-6 17; Porter, Beth 5-9 3-3 13; Boehm, Jenna 4-9 0-2 8; Duranceau, Danielle 2-6 0-0 4; Aras, Derin 1-3 0-0 3; Paulson, Brenda 1-5 0-0 2; Thielmann, Amanda 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 9-11 65. BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY (0-2) STALEY, Kelli 8-16 0-1 19; HARTWIG, Tracy 4-8 0-0 11; MAGUIRE, Katie 5-18 0-0 10; STOELK, Courtney 3-7 0-2 8; ERNST, Katie 3-6 0-0 6; PUTNEY, Melissa 2-2 0-0 5; HEITMANN, Penni 1-5 1-3 3; MEYER, Lindsey 0-1 1-2 1; EBEL, Katie 0-1 0-0 0; MOORE, Tia 0-2 0-0 0; DAVISON, Lynnsey 0-0 0-0 0; GRIGGS, Jess 0-2 0-0 0; SCHWEITZBERGER, Jenn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-68 2-8 63. Lakeland College.............. 29 36 - 65 Buena Vista University........ 33 30 - 63 3-point goals-Lakeland College 6-20 (Falish, Sasha 4-8; Thill, Kristi 1-6; Aras, Derin 1-2; Paulson, Brenda 0-1; Thielmann, Amanda 0-1; Porter, Beth 0-2), Buena Vista University 9-27 (HARTWIG, Tracy 3-5; STALEY, Kelli 3-7; STOELK, Courtney 2-2; PUTNEY, Melissa 1-1; MEYER, Lindsey 0-1; EBEL, Katie 0-1; MOORE, Tia 0-1; GRIGGS, Jess 0-1; MAGUIRE, Katie 0-8). Fouled out--Lakeland College-None, Buena Vista University-None. Rebounds-Lakeland College 40 (Porter, Beth 8; Thill, Kristi 8), Buena Vista University 41 (STALEY, Kelli 8). Assists-Lakeland College 16 (Thill, Kristi 5), Buena Vista University 14 (MAGUIRE, Katie 8). Total fouls-Lakeland College 13, Buena Vista University 15. A-125 Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic Lakeland led 14-5, Buena Vista goes on 21-3 run...BV leads 54-42 with 10:22 left, LC ties game at 60 with 2:37 left...Thill (LC) offensive rebound, hits two free throws with :14 left, Maguire (BV) misses two point shot at buzzer.