Box Score Winona, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team fell 76-65 at Saint Mary's University (Minn.) Tuesday night in the SMU Gymnasium. The Eagles drop to 2-2 on the season while the Cardinals improve to 3-0.
UWL took an early 4-0 lead on back-to-back jumpers from
Sierra Watrud and
Jenna Anderson. After the Cardinals cut the lead to 4-3 with 8:35 left in the opening quarter, the Eagles went on a 6-0 run to lead 10-3. UWL led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.
A thre-point field goal from Watrud gave UWL a 23-16 lead with 8:13 left in the second quarter. The Eagles led 29-23 with 2:01 remaining in the first half on a
MaKenzie Miller layup, but the Cardinals closed the half on a 9-3 run to force a 32-32 tie at halftime.
Saint Mary's (Minn.) took its first lead of the game at 37-36 on Bridget Pethke's three-pointer with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter. The Cardinals would never trail again. Saint Mary's (Minn.) went on an 11-0 run to lead 45-36 with 4:34 left in the third quarter. A pair of
Elise DeNoyer free throws cut the lead to 45-38, but the Cardinals used a 10-1 run to lead 55-39. Anderson's three-pointer cut the Cardinals lead to 55-42 at the end of the third.
UWL scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to cut its deficit to 55-47, but Saint Mary's (Minn.) scored the next six points to lead 61-47 with 5:50 remaining. The Eagles could get no closer than seven points the rest of the game.
UWL shot 36.9% from the field, including 25.0% (three-of-12) from three-point range, and 56.0% (14-of-25) at the free throw line. Miller led three players in double figures with 20 points while Anderson scored 11 and
Sydney Kannel 10. Miller and DeNoyer tied for the team lead with nine rebounds. Miller also had four blocks and three assists. Watrud tied for the team ead with three assists.
Saint Mary's (Minn.) shot 40.4% from the field, including 52.4% (11-of-21) from three-point range, and 67.9% (19-of-28) at the line. Emma Schaefer led three Cardinals in double figures with 17 points. Micaela Meredith scored 14 points and Pethke 10. Pethke and Brandi Blattner led Saint Mary's (Minn.) with six rebounds while Pethke also had a team-high seven assists.
UWL returns to action Saturday, November 28 hosting the Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic. The Eagles face Coe College (Iowa) at 6 p.m. in their home opener. Cornell College (Iowa) faces MacMurray College (Ill.) in the first game at 4 p.m.
