UW-L Upsets Second-Ranked UW-Whitewater

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009

Whitewater, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse women's basketball team upset second-ranked UW-Whitewater 62-53 Wednesday night at Kachel Gym in the Williams Center. The Eagles improve to 14-5 overall and 6-4 in the WIAC while the Warhawks fall to 17-2 overall and 8-2 in the conference. UW-Whitewater is ranked second in NCAA Division III on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll and in the USA Today/ESPN Division III National Coaches' Poll.

With the victory Wednesday, UW-L clinches its third winning season in the last four years.

UW-L, which snapped a four-game losing streak to UW-Whitewater, never trailed in Wednesday's contest. The Eagles led 9-0 with 16:59 left in the first half as they started four-of-six from the field while the Warhawks missed their first four shots from the field and had three turnovers. UW-L led 11-6 when it went on a 8-0 run to lead 19-6 with 13:49 remaining. UW-Whitewater later cut the lead to 23-17, but UW-L led 29-19 at halftime.

The Eagles started the second half on a 8-4 run to lead 37-23 with 17:10 left and later led 45-32 with 12:34 remaining. The Warhawks cut the lead to 52-46 with 4:33 left, but could get no closer than five points the rest of the game. UW-L led 55-50 with 1:40 remaining when Amanda Waldvogel hit a jumper and made one-of-two free throws to make it 58-50 with 1:06 left. UW-Whitewater's Kelsey Hendrickson hit a three-pointer with :47 left to cut the lead to 58-53, but UW-L made four-of-eight free throws in the final :42 and the Warhawks missed their final five field goals of the game.

Mackenzie Hunter led UW-L with 19 points, finishing eight-of-16 from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range. She made both of her free throw attempts. Dana Churchill finished with 14 points and team-high eight rebounds, going six-of-10 from the field, including one-of-one from three-point range. Churchill also made her only free throw attempt.

UW-L shot 47.9% from the field, including 50.0% (five-of-10) from three-point range. The Eagles were 11-of-17 (64.7%) at the free throw line.

Tiffany Morton led UW-Whitewater with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Hendrickson finished with 11 points and Heidi Sonntag 10. The Warhawks shot 32.8% from the field, including 21.4% (six-of-28) from three-point range. The team was seven-of-13 (53.8%) at the line.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, Jan. 31 at UW-Superior starting at 5 p.m.