For the first time in program history, Lourdes women's basketball team will head to the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament, as the Gray Wolves defeated the University of Northwestern Ohio 58-51 on Saturday afternoon inside of Racer Gymnasium in Lima, Ohio.
 
The victory also ties the school record with the Gray Wolves' 11^th win of the season.
 
"Today was a complete team effort to fight from behind and earn the win," head coach John Kenger said afterwards.  "I am so proud and happy for the ladies.  Today was special in so many ways.  It is our first ever playoff berth, gives us the most WHAC victories in a season ever, ties the school record for overall wins, and junior Sara Semler (Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer H.S.) surpassed 100 three-pointers for her career."
 
The Gray Wolves had to battle from behind to earn the final postseason berth.  A 15-2 run by Northwestern Ohio in the opening period allowed the Racers to build a 22-8 advantage.  Lourdes still trailed by 14, 31-17, with 5:29 to play in the second before battling back.  Lourdes scored the next eight points to close to within six before trailing 33-25 at halftime.
 
In the third period, the Gray Wolves kept creeping closer, tying the game at 37 following a three-point play by Sirena Pitts (Orlando, Fla./Ocoee H.S.) at the 2:09 mark, but was never able to take the lead in the quarter and entered the final 10 minutes trailing by two.
 
Baylee Baldwin (Ottawa Lake, Mich./Whiteford H.S.) hit a three-pointer with 9:31 to play, giving the Gray Wolves a 42-39 advantage, the team's first lead since 3-0.  Lourdes would not relinquish the advantage the remainder of the game.
 
Leading by two, 47-45, with five minutes to play, Lourdes would not allow another field goal until the closing seconds, going on an 8-0 run to push the lead to 10, 55-45, with less than 30 seconds to play.  Northwestern Ohio would close to within five, but a pair of free throws by Semler in the final seconds secured the victory.
 
Baldwin led Lourdes with 14 points, making four three-pointers, while Pitts added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench.  Erica Cary (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg County H.S.) added 10 points off the bench as well the Gray Wolf reserves outscored the Racer reserves 24-3.
 
Semler finished the night with eight points, nine rebounds, and six assists while playing all 40 minutes.  She committed just one turnover.
 
Tori Lennartz led all scorers for Northwestern Ohio (10-20, 6-14 WHAC) with 17 points while Kimyra McGhee added 21 more.  The Gray Wolves held the Racers to 0-of-14 shooting from three-point range in the second half.
 
Lourdes (11-19, 7-13) will head to the WHAC tournament on Thursday evening.  Official pairings will be released by the league office later in the weekend.