Waukesha, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team, ranked 19th on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, opened its 2019-20 season with a 58-55 victory at Carroll University (Wis.) Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers were also playing their season-opener.

UWL took a 10-4 lead with 4:39 left in the opening quarter on an Ava Kramer jumper, but Carroll (Wis.) used a 10-2 run to take a 14-12 lead. Kyah Steiner's three-pointer with :30 remaining gave UWL a 15-14 lead at the end of the quarter.  

The Pioneers led by as many as three in the second quarter before taking a 30-29 halftime lead on Sierra Grubor's two free throws with :19 left. 

The Eagles opened the second half scoring the first seven points of the third quarter to lead 36-30 on Steiner's jumper. After Carroll (Wis.) cut the deficit to 36-33, Dani Craig hit one-of-two free throws and added a three-point field goal to give UWL a 40-33 advantage with 4:20 remaining in the quarter. The Eagles took a 45-35 lead with 2:37 left on Carly Coulthart's three-pointer.  UWL led, 47-38, after three quarters. 

A pair of Craig free throws gave UWL its biggest lead of the game at 52-40 with 7:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Eagles led 58-48 with 4:32 left and held on for the victory despite not scoring the rest of the game.

Carroll (Wis.) scored the final seven points of the game, including a pair of Grubor free throws with :53 left to cut the lead to 58-55. After UWL turned the ball over, Theresa Wichser's three-point shot was blocked by Coulthart with :11 left. 

Craig led UWL with 16 points while Steiner finished with 11. Craig was five-of-15 from the field, including three-of-nine from three-point range, and three-of-four at the line. Steiner went five-of-nine from the field, including hitting her only three-point attempt. Craig led the Eagles with three steals while tying for the team lead with two assists with Kramer and Emma Gamoke. Steiner had seven rebounds. 

Delaney Schoenenberger led UWL with 13 rebounds, including seven offensive. Kat Fitzgerald finished with eight points while Schoenenberger had seven. 

UWL shot 32.4% from the field, including 18.5% (five-of-27) from three-point range, and 53.8% (seven-of-13) at the free throw line. 

Grubor led Carroll (Wis.) with 15 points while Wichser finished with nine. Elizabeth Behrndt had eight points and team-high five rebounds for the Pioneers. Katie Evans also finished with eight points. 

Carroll (Wis.) shot 36.2% from the field, including 25.0% (six-of-24) from three-point range, and 65.2% (15-of-23) at the line

UWL returns to action Tuesday, November 12 at Coe College (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m.