RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The UW-River Falls Falcons women's basketball opened WIAC play with a hard-fought clash Saturday afternoon, coming up just short, falling 52-47 to the UW-La Crosse Eagles at Don Page Arena.

The Falcons set the tone early, jumping out to a 10-6 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage in the second behind effective ball movement and strong defensive pressure. UWRF outscored the Eagles 18-12 in the period to take a 28-18 lead into halftime, controlling the pace while limiting La Crosse's scoring opportunities.

UW-River Falls maintained its lead through much of the third quarter, heading into the final period up 39-32. However, the Eagles rallied in the fourth, outscoring the Falcons 20-8 in the final 10 minutes to take their first lead of the half in the closing minutes and secure the five-point win.

Zoey Buchan led the Falcons with 11 points, while Olivia Boily added 10 points off the bench. Savannah Leopold chipped in nine points, and Jocelyn Plonski and Annamarie Aue combined for 11 points and nine rebounds as UWRF finished with a 31-34 rebounding effort.

Despite forcing 14 turnovers and holding La Crosse to 40.4 percent shooting, the Falcons were unable to convert late possessions as the Eagles closed the game at the free-throw line.

The Falcons will return to Don Page Arena next week to take on another WIAC opponent, the Blue Devils. Tip-off is slated for Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.