Warhawks Win Ninth Straight to Open WIAC Play

The No. 19 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team overcame a slow start with a 25-point second quarter and a big run in the third Saturday, January 4 to defeat UW-Eau Claire 67-41 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener for both teams at Kachel Gymnasium.

The Warhawks (11-1 overall, 1-0 WIAC), who extended their active win streak to nine games, shot 68.8 percent (11-of-16) in the second quarter and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) in the third to overcome a 3-for-16 start in the first quarter.

UW-Whitewater forced 21 turnovers and held the Blugolds to 28.6 percent shooting for the contest.

Sophomore guard Veronica Kieres paced a group of four players in double figures for the Warhawks with 14 points to go along with a team-best seven rebounds. Senior guard Becky Raeder posted 11 points and three assists, junior guard Rebekah Schumacher totaled 11 points, four rebounds and three assists, and sophomore guard Yssa Sto. Domingo registered 11 points, four rebounds and a career-high seven assists.

UW-Eau Claire (5-6, 0-1) scored the first four points of the game, and UW-Whitewater finally got on the board on a 3-pointer by Sto. Domingo with 3:59 on the clock in the first quarter and started an 8-0 UW-W run. The two teams were tied by the end of the quarter.

The Blugolds grabbed a 14-12 advantage at the 7:43 mark of the second quarter. The Warhawks responded with a 10-0 spurt that included back-to-back 3-pointers by Sto. Domingo and Raeder.

UW-Whitewater built its lead to double digits on a layup by Sto. Domingo with 3:41 left, and junior guard Rebekah Schumacher made it an 11-point game just under a minute later with a 3-pointer.

Sophomore guard Veronica Kieres gave the Warhawks their largest lead of the first half, 33-20, on a layup with 1:29 to go in the half.

UW-Eau Claire drew to within six points at the 5:54 mark of the third quarter. From there, UW-Whitewater scored 16 straight points until a Blugold bucket in the waning moments of the period and held a 55-35 advantage heading to the fourth.

Raeder extended the Warhawks’ lead to 25 by the midway point of the fourth quarter on a layup. A pair of Kieres free throws with 2:53 remaining gave the team its largest lead to that point.

UW-Whitewater returns to action Wednesday, January 8 at 7 p.m. against UW-Stevens Point on Whitewater Community Night at Kachel Gymnasium.