ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Wisconsin Lutheran women's basketball team defeated Rowan University, 76-70 at the St. Pete Classic on Saturday.
 
The event was hosted by Eckerd College. In other contests on Saturday, Berry College won 59-53 over Messiah College and Eckerd had a 79-49 victory against LIU Post, 79-49. In the final game of the classic, Carthage College defeated Wells College, 69-35. The Profs head into the holiday break with a record of 9-2 and the Warriors have a mark of 6-3.
 
Guard Bria Hill (sr. Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) led Rowan with 19 points and six rebounds. Guards Valerie Garofalo (so. Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Anyssa Sanchez (so. Stratford, NJ/Sterling) each scored 13 points. Sanchez also grabbed 11 rebounds.
 
For Wisconsin Lutheran, center Kristen Schulz (sr. Safford, AZ/Arizona Lutheran) recorded a game-high 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks. Guard/forward Caitlin Knueppel (fr. Wauwatosa, WI/Wisconsin Lutheran) added 18 points. Guard/forward Christel Frey (sr. Milwaukee, WI/Wisconsin Lutheran) contributed with 11 points and six assists.
 
Rowan jumped out to a 5-0 lead (19:07) after a three-pointer by guard Kaitlin Schullstrom (jr. Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) and a layup by Sanchez. Wisconsin Lutheran then used a 21-4 run, taking a 21-9 advantage with 12:20 remaining in the first half. Schulz and Knueppel each scored six points and Frey had five. A basket by Frey made the score 28-14 (9:44). Hill's jumper got the Profs to within six points (32-26) at the 4:31 mark. The Warriors then produced eight straight points on three-pointers by Knueppel and guard Dallas Chladek (fr. Milwaukee, WI/Pius XI) and a jumper by Frey for a 40-26 lead (2:51). Kneuppel converted a triple with 2:13 remaining, making the halftime score 43-29.
 
In the second frame, Schulz recorded a layup (18:20) to give Wisconsin Lutheran a 47-31 lead. Five straight points by Sanchez trimmed the deficit to 11 (51-40) with 15:10 to play. Schulz made two free throws to put the Warriors ahead 61-47 (9:36) then Rowan scored 10 of the next 11 points to cut the lead to five (62-57) at the 6:33 mark. Hill produced eight points and guard Ashanti Bishop (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield), two.
 
Wisconsin Lutheran responded with a 9-0 spurt that included six points from Schulz, to extend its lead back to 14 points (71-57) with 3:37 remaining. Schullstrom registered a three-pointer, making the score 73-67 (0:47). Schulz converted three free throws in the final 10-seconds to give the Warriors a six-point win.
Next, Rowan hosts Wesley College on Monday, January 5 at 7 p.m.