DE PERE – Green Knight hearts were broken against Wisconsin Lutheran College in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament final, dropping a hard-fought 57-54 contest at Mulva Family Fitness and Sports Center.  

The Green Knights (22-5) traded blows with the Warriors through all four quarters and came agonizingly close to taking a well-deserved lead in the fourth quarter, as Wisconsin Lutheran clinched the NACC automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.  

Taylor Thiry (pictured) was dominant in the first quarter, scoring the first nine points for St. Norbert in the first four minutes. A Emma Morrisey 3-pointer at 5:08 in the first quarter tied the game at 14, while another layup and free throw from Thiry gave St. Norbert its first lead at 17-16.  

The Warriors were able to grow the lead by five in the second quarter, but four fast break points from Avery Bierowski and Casey Jepson cut the lead to just one with 1:28 in the half remaining.

Wisconsin Lutheran took its biggest lead of the game in the third quarter, taking a 7-point lead into the final 10 minutes.  

St. Norbert had response after response in the fourth quarter, and came within two points of the lead thanks to a jumper from Morrisey with 43 seconds remaining. Another and-one opportunity fell for Thiry with 27 seconds left as the Green Knights trailed 51-50. Two more layups from Oakley Witteck and Macey Mercer kept the Warriors lead at one, but having no choice but to foul, the Warriors made the most of their free throws and won 57-54.  

St. Norbert shot 44.2 percent (23-for-52) from the floor. Thiry shot 10-of-15 from the floor with 25 points to her name. Morrisey had 10 while Bierowski added seven from the bench.  

Wisconsin Lutheran shot 35.6 percent from the floor (16-for-45). Margie Stevens led the Warriors with 23 points.