Lakeland College

Eisner, three-point barrage help Muskies fend off Crusaders in overtime

Athletics - posted on 12/6/2012

Leah Eisner (Jr.-Stevens Point, Wis.) posted career highs in points and rebounds and Lakeland College outlasted Maranatha Baptist Bible College 75-68 in overtime Thursday night in Northern Athletics Conference action.

Eisner finished with 22 points and 20 rebounds, helping the Muskies to a 55-40 advantage on the boards. The Muskies also hit 12 three-pointers in the game and needed every one of them to improve to 3-5 overall and 3-2 in NAC play.

The teams went back and forth all night, with neither team establishing control for long through 40 minutes of regulation. The Muskies never trailed in overtime, though, as Dana Henrichs (Sr.-Fall Creek, Wis.) hit a three-pointer for a 65-62 lead that Lakeland never gave back again.

The game only reached overtime after Maranatha Baptist (4-1 overall, 2-1 NAC) scored five points in the final nine seconds of regulation to tie it. Aimee Thrune (Jr.-Prairie du Sac, Wis.) hit a three-pointer to put Lakeland ahead 62-57 with 22 seconds left, the Muskies' second three-pointer in the final two minutes to overcome a one-point deficit and seemingly take control.

Autumn Peotter answered with a three with nine seconds left to go, though, to get the Crusaders within two. After a timeout, the Muskies tried to throw long on the inbounds pass, but Kristin Morrison stole the ball near halfcourt, then drove into the lane and was fouled with 1.1 seconds left. She rolled in the first free throw and then, after a Lakeland timeout, nailed the second free throw to send the game to overtime.

The two teams were tied 27-27 at halftime, as Maranatha led nearly the entire half and took an early eight-point lead before the Muskies rallied. Neither team led by more than five points in the second half, with Maranatha leading 31-27 early before Lakeland struck right back and the game settled into a back-and-forth affair, with seven ties and eight lead changes coming in the second half.

Eisner and Becky Mayo (Sr.-Gladstone, Mich.) dominated inside against a potent Crusader frontline, with Mayo adding nine points and 13 rebounds. Both struggled to finish in the paint, combining to shoot 10-of-32, and the Muskies as a team shot just 31.1% (23-for-74).

The Muskies especially were strong on the offensive boards, though, as Eisner and Mayo combined for 14 offensive rebounds. As a team Lakeland finished with 26 offensive boards. According to school records, Eisner's 20 rebounds also were the second-most in school history, just one short of Jessica Genke's total of 21 caroms on Nov. 18, 2011 against Beloit College.

The Muskies also made a season high in three-pointers led by Taylor Jandrin (Jr.-Forestville, Wis.), who hit four triples on the way to 15 points. Henrichs added three three-pointers and Lakeland shot 12-of-33 behind the arc for the game.

Maranatha Baptist was led by Peotter and Laci Peterson with 18 points each. The Crusaders shot 25-of-64 (39.1%) and had eight blocked shots.

Lakeland is on the road Saturday to face Marian (Wis.) University in an NAC game at 2 p.m. in Fond du Lac.