The women's basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak with a 71-49 home victory over the Pioneers of Platteville on Saturday at the Karges Center.
Alise Holst (Plainview, MN, Plainview-Elgin-Millville) had one of her best games of the season, eclipsing her season high in rebounds with 12 and nearly totaling her season best in points with 17. Those 17 points led all scorers in the contest. Her previous season's best in rebounds was 10 back on Dec. 11 at UW-Oshkosh. Twice Holst has scored 18, once against Martin Luther and again against UW-Eau Claire.
After UWP scored the opening four points, the Falcons never looked back. They responded and went on a 14-0 run that spanned a little over five minutes. After that, they never relinquished the lead and after Tess Lueders (Lakeland, MN, Stillwater) scored with 9:37 to go in the first half to put the Falcons up by 10, they remained ahead by double-digits through the remainder of the evening. Leuders would finish with 10 points on the night.
UWRF led by as many as 20 with 1:48 to go in the half. They closed out the half 43-28, ahead by 15 points. Their largest lead of the night came with 49 seconds to go in the game when they led by 22. That would prove to be the deciding margin of victory.
The second half saw the Falcon build upon their lead through the depth of their lineup. Eleven Falcons scored points on the night, and 29 of their 71 points came from the bench. Freshman Stephanie Walek (Independence, Independence) had a career night with five points for the Falcons.
Tiffany Gregorich (Altoona, Altoona) also finished with a strong performance, as one of three Falcons scoring in double figures, with 12 points in the game.
The Falcons were tenacious on the boards, grabbing 52 while allowing UWP to only 35. Holst led the Falcons with 12 boards, and Maranda Dohrn (Lake City, MN, Lake City) finished with a strong seven. Dohrn would also chip in six points and three steals. As a team, the Falcons had nine steals while limiting the Pioneers to just six.
The Falcons also controlled the turnover ratio, committing 17, but forcing19 from Platteville. The Falcons however, took full advantage of the turnovers, scoring 18 points from them, while holding the Pioneers to eight.
As a team, the Falcons shot 41.2 percent from the field, connecting on 28-68. UWP shot almost 10 points lower than the Falcons, as they completed 17-53 shots for 32.1 percent.
With the win, the Falcons improve to12-5 overall and 4-4 in the WIAC. The loss drops the Pioneers to 5-11 and 1-6 in the conference
Up next for the Falcons is an away game against WIAC foe UW-Stout. The game is set to get underway at 5 p.m. in Menomonie on Saturday, Jan. 22.
The Falcons are 39-37 all time against the Blue Devils and beat UWS, 61-47, on Jan. 5 at the Karges Center.
Box Score
