By LARRY HOLCOMBE

Globe Sports Editor

IRONWOOD -- The Gogebic Community College Lady Samsons had little trouble defeating shorthanded Silver Lake College 69-27 at the Lindquist Center Friday evening.

The Lakers were missing three players, including leading scorer Lindsay Rozmarynoski. She scored 22 points against the Lady Samsons in a GCC win at Manitowoc, Wis., on Jan. 12.

GCC sophomore forward Kristen Ruppe scored four baskets in the first seven minutes to help GCC open a 15-1 lead.

Gogebic coach Dennis Mackey put in a new five with 11 minutes left in the half and freshman guard Samantha Ervin responded with two 3-pointers and sophomore forward Andrea Harrington added another.

"We got good scoring off the bench," said Mackey. "We're going to need that against some of the teams ahead on our schedule."

Lynsey Fiedler scored the Lakers' first field goal 13:30 into the first half to draw the visitors within 26-4.

The GCC lead grew to 30 points as Mackey put the starters back in for the final 5:00 of the half. Sophomore guard Janey Routheaux canned a trey and sophomore Nicole Rosga fed classmate Nichole Mazurek with a nice pass for a late basket in the paint.

The Lakers shot just 3-38 from the field in the first half.

The Lady Samsons stayed in control in the second half. The lead remained around 30 for much of the half.

Although GCC struggled on the offensive boards in the first half with just six, the Lady Samsons outrebounded the Lakers 68-57 for the game.

Ruppe had 16 points. Harrington and freshman Carly Levra each scored 11.

Mackey was pleased with his team's defense, but knows it will need to score more. "We were talking out there on defense. That was good to hear, but we need to shoot better than one-out-of-three."

The Lakers finished at 18 percent from the field, led by senior Tera Holly's 13 points. Junior Jennifer Anderson of Port Wing, Wis., scored four points. She and her younger sister, Jolene, played at South Shore. Jolene is a freshman star at the University of Wisconsin.

GCC (10-7) travels to Hibbing (Minn.) Community College today. The Lady Samsons' next home game will be Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Silver Lake College -- Lynsey Fiedler 1 0 0 4-2, Jennifer Anderson 2 0 0 0-4, Tera Holly 5 0 3 3-13, Carrie Schnell 4 0 0 0-8, Janelle Beretto 0 0 0 2-0, Jodie Hintz 0 0 0 0-0. Totals: 12 0 3-16 9 27.

GCC -- Leslie Haapoja 2 0 1 0-5, Nicole Rosga 1 0 0 3-2, Janey Routheaux 3 1 0 2-9, Nichole Mazurek 2 0 2 2-6, Samantha Ervin 0 2 0 0-6, Allison Coss 0 0 2 2-2, Andrea Harrington 2 2 1 4-11, Kristen Ruppe 8 0 0 0-16, Megan Tucker 0 0 1 1-1, Carly Levra 5 0 1 1-11. Totals: 23 5 8-14 15 69.

Half: 37-8 GCC.