Box Score New Ulm, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team opened its 2022-23 season Tuesday night with a 77-46 victory over Martin Luther College (Minn.) in the Luther Student Center. The Knights were also playing their season-opener. 

UWL improves to 6-1 in season-openers under head coach Karen Middleton.

In the second-ever meeting between the two teams, Lauryn Milne scored on the game's first possession on a layup to give UWL a 2-0 lead. Martin Luther (Minn.) scored the next five points to take a 5-2 lead on a Emma Nelson three-pointer and Grace Kieselhorst layup. After Gabby Ritchie's layup cut the lead to 6-5, the Knights' Lydia Feidt hit a three-pointer with 6:31 left to make it 8-6. Martin Luther (Minn.) took its largest lead of the quarter at 16-10 on Emily Rothfuss' jumper with 3:17 remaining. Ritchie scored four straight points to cut the lead to 16-14 and a pair of free throws by Alana Gilles tied the game with 1:28 left. 

UWL continued its 10-0 run with layups from Kailee Meeker and Paige Schumann for a 20-16 advantage. Martin Luther (Minn.) cut it to 20-18 on a Maya Price layup with :37 left before Alivia Arnebeck's layup with :29 remaining gave UWL a 22-18 advantage after the first quarter. 

Jordyn Heckendorf and Kieselhorst made back-to-back three-point field goals for Martin Luther (Minn.) to start the second quarter to give the Knights a 24-22 lead. A pair of free throws from Kyah Steiner, a Milne jumper and Arnebeck layup gave the Eagles a 28-24 lead. Martin Luther (Minn.) later cut the lead to 32-30, but UWL went on a 11-0 run to lead 43-30. Ritchie had a pair of layups and Meeker made one-of-two at the line for a 37-30 lead. Meeker connected on a three-pointer with 1:35 remaining to make it 40-30 and Ritchie hit a three-pointer for a 43-30 advantage with :58 left. 

Kendra Valleau made one-of-two at the line and Heckendorf made a three-pointer with :17 left to cut the lead to 43-34, but Schumann's layup at the end of the first half gave UWL its 11-point lead. 

UWL outscored Martin Luther (Minn.), 19-7, in the third quarter to take a 64-41 lead. Carly Coulthart had three 3-pointers in the quarter for the Eagles. Her three-pointer with 6:43 remaining gave UWL a 52-37 lead and Coulthart back-to-back three-pointers made it 60-40 with 3:53 left. Gilles' layup with 1:47 remaining in the quarter gave the Eagles a 64-40 lead. 

The Eagles outscored the Knights, 13-5, in the fourth quarter.

UWL shot 48.5% from the field for the game, including 31.3% (five-of-16) from three-point range, and 88.9% (eight-of-nine) at the free throw line. Ritchie led three players in double figures with 16 points while Milne added 14 and Coulthart 13. Steiner had a team-high 10 rebounds. 

Martin Luther (Minn.) shot 29.3% from the field, including 30.4% (seven-of-23) from three-point range, and 50.0% (five-of-10) at the free throw line. Nelson led Martin Luther (Minn.) with 10 points while Feidt finished with nine and Heckendorf eight. 

UWL earned a 64-27 win over Martin Luther (Minn.) in 2021-22. 

UWL returns to action Friday, November 11 facing Carthage College (Wis.) in the St. Norbert College (Wis.) Tip-Off Tournament at 5 p.m.