Feb. 27, 2007

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State's conference-leading offense was too much for the Lake Superior State women's basketball team, which lost 91-79 to the Lady Bulldogs in the first round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday at Jim Wink Arena.

Ferris State (21-7) likely ended the Lakers' season. LSSU (18-9) went into the game ranked 10th in the Great Lakes Region and needed to reach the GLIAC semifinals to have a shot at moving into the top eight and earning a NCAA Tournament bid. The Bulldogs, along with Michigan Tech and Hillsdale, will travel to Gannon for the GLIAC semifinals and finals. MTU defeated North Division No. 1 seed Grand Valley State, 63-57, in Allendale.

Ferris State, which averaged 78 points per game during the regular season, stormed to a 19-point first-half lead. LSSU battled back in the second half as Monica Rehmann hit a three-pointer and a fastbreak layup to cut it to seven points, 67-60, with 9:47 to go. Ronlea Peterson canned a three-pointer at 4:37 to make it a six-point game, 78-72.

FSU's Teghan Thelen answered Peterson's three-pointer with a tray and deflated the Lakers' momentum. The Bulldogs regained a double-digit lead inside the three-minute mark.

Despite making 2-of-11 field-goal attempts in the first half, Mandi Johnson finished 8-for-19 from the field and totaled 19 points for the Lakers. Peterson was 5-of-8 from three-point range and also had 19 points, while Rehmann added 15 points and five assists. Rehmann was 3-for-4 from behind the arc. Danielle Makins contributed seven points and a team-high six rebounds.

Rachel Folcik totaled 28 points, and Kristin Reinhart added 24 to lead Ferris State. The Bulldogs shot 54.8 percent from the field, including 4-of-15 from three-point range. They were 19-for-23 at the free-throw line and out-rebounded LSSU, 48-31.

LSSU shot 42.3 percent from the field, including 11-of-19 from three-point range. The Lakers were 2-for-6 at the free-throw line.