SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- The 20th-ranked Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University women's basketball team fell 62-52 to Cornerstone (Mich.) University in the WHAC semifinal game on Saturday night in Southfield, Mich.
Lawrence Tech (25-6) opened the game trailing Cornerstone 12-6, but battled back to within one at 12-11. Cornerstone ended the quarter scoring the last four points to take a 16-12 lead into the second quarter. The Blue Devils opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 19-18 lead with 8:26 left following a Rachel Price (SO/Springboro, Ohio) three pointer. The team's finished the second quarter going back-and-forth as it was tied four times including the at the break, 30-30.
In the third quarter, the Blue Devils and Golden Eagles continued to trade baskets with three lead changes including a three by Cornerstone to end the quarter taking a 44-42 lead. The Golden Eagles built off that buzzer beating three to take control of the game as they built a 10 point lead to open the fourth. Lawrence Tech cut the lead to five, 61-56 after Hayley Walkowski (SR/Marshall, MI) jumper with 4:01 left in the game, but that was as close as they got down the stretch as Cornerstone held on for a 72-62 win.
Walkowski, playing in her final home game of her career, led the way with 18 points and six rebounds. Danielle Hanson (SO/East Lansing, Mich.) finished with a double-double, 10 points and 12 rebounds. Hanson added three assists while Rachel Price led the game in blocks with four. Jesse Sheridan led the way for Cornerstone with 20 points and nine rebounds followed by Taylor Richards with 14 points and five rebounds.
Cornerstone now advances to the WHAC Final at Indiana Tech on Tuesday, Feb. 27 as well as joining the Warriors in Sioux City, Iowa as the conferences second automatic bid to the 2018 NAIA DII National Championship Tournament. Lawrence Tech now has to wait and see if they qualified as an at-large berth. The Blue Devils will find out if they make it on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. ET here during the NAIA Bracket Reveal Show.
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