Chapman, Calif. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team improved to 10-0 on the season with a 67-62 victory at Chapman University (Calif.) Friday night. The Panthers drop to 6-3 on the year.

UWL is off to best start (10-0) to the season since winning its first 13 games in 2005-06. 

In the first meeting between the teams since 2010-11, UWL never trailed Friday night in taking a 24-16 lead after the first quarter. The Eagles scored the first nine points of the second quarter to lead, 33-16. UWL led, 38-24, at halftime.

Chapman (Calif.) cut the deficit to 40-29 with 7:46 left in the third quarter when UWL went on an 8-2 run to lead 48-31 after a Kyah Steiner layup. The Eagles led, 57-43, after three quarters. Emma Gamoke's jumper to start the fourth quarter gave UWL a 59-43 advantage when Chapman (Calif.) used a 14-0 run to cut the lead to 59-57 with 2:49 left. Gamoke hit a jumper with 1:35 remaining to give the Eagles a four-point lead at 61-57 after the team had missed nine straight shots from the field. Jaryn Fajardo cut the lead back to two at 61-59 with 1:25 remaining.

Ava Kramer made one-of-two at the free throw line with :47 left to give UWL a three-point lead. After a missed three-pointer by Chapman (Calif.), Delaney Schoenenberger made two free throws with :30 remaining to give the Eagles a 64-59 lead. The Panthers later cut the lead to 64-62 with :17 left on a Lucy Criswell jumper, but Steiner and Gamoke each hit one-of-two free throws to make it 66-62. Lexie Higgins finished the scoring on a free throw with :01 left. 

UWL shot 42.0% from the field, including 43.8% (seven-of-16) from three-point range, and 60.0% (18-of-30) at the free throw line. Gamoke led the Eagles with 16 points while Dani Craig finished with 15 and Steiner with 13. Craig and Higgins tied for the team lead with eight rebounds.

Chapman (Calif.) shot 34.9% from the field, including 6.3% (one-of-16) from three-point range, and 77.3% (17-of-22) at the line. Fajardo led the Panthers with 19 points while Julia Strand and Criswell each had 14 points. Strand had a team-high eight rebounds.

UWL returns to action Saturday, December 29 facing the University of Redlands (Calif.) at 3 p.m. (CT) in the Chapman (Calif.) Winter Classic.