LA CROSSE, Wis. – The UW-River Falls women's basketball team took on a tough road challenge Wednesday evening, falling 78-65 to the Eagles at the La Crosse Center.

La Crosse set the tone early building to a 20-9 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Eagles continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, extending their advantage behind strong shooting and rebounding to take a 14-point lead into halftime.

River Falls responded with its most complete stretch of play of the night in the third quarter. The Falcons shot 57 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc, outscoring the Eagles 23-18, cutting into the first half deficit. 

Despite the Falcons third quarter rally, La Crosse answered in the fourth, converting at the free-throw line to maintain separation down the stretch. The Eagles finished the game shooting 85 percent from the stripe, helping seal the outcome.

Zoey Buchan paced the Falcons with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, adding four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Taylor Clarey provided a strong offensive effort with a career-high 19 points and six rebounds, while Emily Anderson added 13 points, including three three-pointers. As a team, River Falls shot 36.1 percent from the field and knocked down seven three-pointers. 

UW-River Falls will look to bounce back as WIAC play continues next week, taking on the Eau Claire Blugolds next Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in River Falls. 

Wednesday's matchup will also celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) with free admission for all youth ages 17 and under. All Falcon women's athletic teams will be in attendance and will be available for postgame meet-and-greets.