RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) - UW-River Falls held on to an early lead before a 22-10 second quarter advantage for Viterbo ended up being the difference in a 72-61 loss for the Falcons on Friday night. All ten UWRF players that saw action scored at least three points, but Taylor Paulsrud was the only one to score in double figures with 12 points on 4-12 shooting. 

The Falcons didn't trail in the game until Alyssa Nilssen scored a basket to give the V-Hawks a 13-11 lead in the middle of the first quarter. Shelby Kelley quickly retook the lead for UWRF with a three-pointer that sparked a 9-0 run after shots from Jane Lindstrom, Crystal Pearson and Madelyn O'Brien put the Falcons up 20-13. 

The V-Hawks countered with a 26-10 to end the half where the Falcons struggled to make a shot. They shot 2-14 overall in the second quarter and 1-10 from beyond the arc, while Viterbo shot 9-14 from the field and grabbed almost twice as many rebounds as UWRF. The 39-30 halftime lead was in large part to Nilssen, who finished the game with 18 points and 18 rebounds after scoring 13 of her points in the first half.

The lead grew to as much as 45-30 before Taylor Paulsrud hit a three pointer to bring the game back within 10 points with about six minutes remaining in the third quarter. The V-Hawks stretched their lead back to 15 points when Madison Doerr hit a three pointer for Viterbo as the fourth quarter opened, but another Paulsrud basket moved it back to 10 points with eight minutes remaining. A basket from Brianna Leahy and free throws from Paulsrud moved it as close as seven points with three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but a three-pointer from Nilssen gave Viterbo a 6-2 run to close out the game. 

Doerr also added 17 points for Viterbo, and Ambree Schlosser had 11 points to go along with four assists and three steals. The V-Hawks finished 40 percent from beyond the arc while the Falcons could only muster 18 percent on 4-22 shooting. UWRF narrowly outrebounded the V-Hawks 39-36, and Leahy had a team-high eight rebounds for the Falcons. Jenna Zeman and Pearson also dished out five assists apiece. 

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on Luther College at 2 p.m.