ST. CHARLES, Mo.—The Drury Lady Panthers advanced to the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship game for the eighth year in a row as they defeated Upper Iowa 88-82 in the tournament semifinals at Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, on Saturday.
 
The 23^rd ranked Lady Panthers improved to 25-5 and Upper Iowa ended their season at 15-13.
 
10 days after Reese Schaaf set a single-game program record with 24 rebounds against Upper Iowa, the sophomore from El Dorado Springs dominated the Peacocks on the glass against with 23 boards and 21 points. Beth Matas Martin led all scorers with 26 points and the fifth-year senior from Spain went 10 for 16 from the field and 4 for 7 from three-point range. Caitlynn Daniels added 18 points and Anna Hitt contributed 15.
 
Drury led 35-27 at halftime and stretched the lead to 12 early in the fourth quarter before Upper Iowa chopped to three, 83-80, with 1:06 remaining. Drury got free throws from Matas Martin and Daniels to close out the game in the final minute.
 
"We got some key stops and key rebounds down the stretch, but if we make our free throws, it's a different ballgame," said Lady Panthers head coach Kaci Bailey. "You have to make free throws and you have to guard in championship play, but we got some big boards when we needed them."
 
Drury made 18 of 31 fouls shots, going 58 percent from the line. The Lady Panthers were a league-best 77 percent from the free throw line as a team entering the tournament.
 
Alaina Brenning led Upper Iowa with 22 points.
 
The Lady Panthers will play Lewis at 1 pm on Sunday for the GLVC Championship. It will mark the third year in a row that the two teams have played one another in the championship game. Drury won both of those previous meetings and is seeking their eighth straight GLVC championship and their 13^th conference championship in program history.
 
 
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