La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team fell 64-48 to UW-Eau Claire in its home opener Friday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles drop to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while the Blugolds improve to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference.
UW-Eau Claire earned a 76-58 home victory over UWL on February 3.
Gabby Ritchie had seven points off the bench.
All eight teams in the WIAC are divided into two divisions this year with UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater in the East and UW-Eau Claire, UWL, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout in the West. Each team is scheduled to play two games against each divisional opponent, as well as two games against one cross-over opponent, for a total of eight games. All eight teams will qualify for the WIAC Championship beginning March 1. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships were canceled February 3.
UW-Eau Claire never trailed in Friday's win after Jessie Ruden hit a three-pointer on the first possession of the game. UWL tied the contest at 5-5 with 5:28 left in the opening quarter on a
Gabby Ritchie three-point field goals, but UW-Eau Claire scored the next seven points to lead 12-7. Ritchie's jumper cut the lead to 12-9 with 1:02 left, but Ruden's three-pointer and Maizie Deihl's jumper in the final :40 gave the Blugolds a 17-9 lead after the first quarter.
Shayley Vesel's three-point field goal with 6:58 remaining in the second quarter for UWL cut the lead to 22-17. UW-Eau Claire scored nine of the next 11 points for a 31-19 lead. The Blugolds led, 33-23, at halftime.
UW-Eau Claire took its largest lead of the game with 3:23 left in the third quarter at 48-30 on Ellie Clayton's two free throws, but UWL ended the quarter on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 48-39.
Julia Seidel had five points in the run. Seidel's three-pointer to start the fourth quarter cut the lead to 48-42, but UW-Eau Claire used an 11-0 run to lead, 59-42 with 4:16 remaining.
Emma Gamoke had six points, six rebounds and four assists.
UWL shot 30.8% from the field, including 30.0% (six-of-20) from three-point range, and 100.0% (two-of-two) at the free throw line. Seidel led the Eagles with eight points off the bench Friday while Ritchie finished with seven.
Ava Kramer,
Lexie Higgins and
Emma Gamoke each scored six points with Gamoke and
Alana Gilles tying for the team lead in rebounds with six. Gamoke added a game-high four assists.
UW-Eau Claire shot 37.0% from the field, including 41.7% (10-of-24) from three-point range, and 93.3% (14-of-15) at the line. Ruden led the Blugolds with 22 points, connecting on five-of-nine three-point attempts. Deihl finished with 14 points and five rebounds while Clayton had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Tyra Boettcher had a game-high nine rebounds.
UWL returns to action Wednesday, February 10 hosting UW-River Falls at 7 p.m.
