Box Score

The Falcon women's basketball team fell just short in its season opener to Luther College, 80-75, Friday evening in the Zorn Arena at the UW-Eau Claire Tip-off Classic.

LC held a 45-41 lead at the half and UWRF trailed by just a point, 54-53, with 12:08 to play. But the Norse went on a 7-2 run to take a 63-55 lead with 9:54 to play. Luther led by seven to 10 points for most of the rest of the half, but the Falcons made a run at the end of the game. The Falcons trailed by 13 (74-61) with 5:21 to play, but then went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 74-72 with 1:37 to play. But Luther was able to hold on for the win.

The Falcons had nine players score in the first half and shot a respectable 12-28 from the field, including 3-10 from behind the arc. 

Tess Lueders led the Falcons scoring 17 points. She also led the team with four assists, two blocks and two steals. Richell Mehus added 13 points and led UWRF with seven rebounds. She also had three assists and a steal. Haley Siegle and Kate Theisen, playing in her first collegiate game, each scored nine points. In all, six first-year players saw action for the Falcons in the game. UWRF shot 25-59 (.424) from the field, including 5-19 (.263) from three-point range. There were 67 free throws taken in the contest and the Falcons were 20-32 (.625) from the line.

Luther was led by Taylor Johnson who scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Logan Hjerfeld who added 19 points. 

The Falcons play Carroll University at 3 p.m., on Saturday at the UWEC Classic. Carroll defeated UW-Eau Claire, 65-49, in a second game of the tourney on Friday night. 

Box Score