BOX SCORE

KENOSHA, Wis. – After missing three straight contests due to injury, UIndy sophomore Samantha Meissel returned to the lineup to score a team-high 15 points and help lead Indianapolis to a 73-58 road win versus GLVC East co-leader Wisconsin-Parkside. The Greyhounds used an all-around effort in a stellar first half to build a double-digit lead that proved too much for the Rangers.

UW-Parkside (12-7, 8-2 GLVC) had no answer for the frontcourt trio of Meissel, Sarah Fenneman and Katie Lyons, as the three combined for 37 points on 13-of-19 (.684) shooting.

Less a three-pointer by the home team on the game's first possession, both squads got off to a slow start offensively. Nearly 3 ½ minutes in, the Hounds managed to tie it at 4 apiece. Fenneman supplied UIndy's first two baskets, both on assists from Isabell Rhenwrick.

The clock ticked past the 15-minute mark before either team scored again. UWP freshman Brittany Beyer earned the hoop and the harm and later completed the three-point play to give the Rangers a small lead. That play also featured Meissel's second personal foul, putting a brief damper on her return by sending her to the bench.

On the following possession, the Greyhounds responded well as junior Katie Dewey nailed a second-chance three with 14:13 on the clock to spark an 8-0 UIndy run. The rally gave the Hounds their first lead of the contest, one they would ultimately not relinquish.

With the Greyhound lead at four, a steal sandwiched by a pair of buckets started another rally for UIndy. The advantage continued to grow as a hustling Fenneman scored back-to-back transition buckets to make it 24-14 Hounds.

The Hounds' 16-2 run included Meissel's first points in two weeks. The 6-2 forward scored all five of her first half points in less than a minute on a conventional three-point play and two additional free throws.

With the offense clicking, the Greyhound defense held Parkside off the scoreboard for a five-minute stretch late in the first, part of a 7:22 field goal drought for the Rangers. The resulting halftime score was 36-20. UIndy shot an efficient 56 percent from the floor while committing just five turnovers in the first twenty minutes.

Out of the break, the Hounds managed to quickly double-up the Rangers, as a lay-up from Fenneman and triples from Jessica Canary and Meissel made it 44-22 with 17:58 to go.

UIndy's lead again matched the Rangers' point total when a three-point play from Fenneman at the 11:35 mark made it 54-27.

Perhaps with last year's come-from-behind victory at Nicoson on their minds, the Rangers began to slice into the Greyhound edge. Parkside managed the game's next 10 points, part of a 14-2 run that trimmed the margin to 14.

For a stretch, it appeared that the Hounds were settling for jumpers, but with the score 61-47 Hounds and four minutes remaining, Rhenwrick attacked the basket and drew contact. UIndy's lone senior cashed in both freebies to help maintain the cushion.

Parkside came up empty on their ensuing trip down the floor, and after a pair of free throws from Meissel, UIndy delivered what was perhaps the dagger when Meissel punctuated her return by sinking a jumper from downtown to make it 68-50 Hounds with just under three minutes to go. The Rangers would not threaten again as UIndy hit 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

Meissel led four Greyhounds in double-digit scoring as Fenneman finished 6-of-7 from the floor for 14 points, Canary hit all three of her triples in the second half on the way to 12 points and four assists, while Dewey contributed 10 points, four assists and four steals. UWP freshman Jadee Rooney led all scorers with 16 points.

UIndy (18-5, 7-4) returns home for a Saturday evening affair at Nicoson Hall. The Hounds host winless Saint Joseph's in a 5:30 pm tip time.