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Pointers Clipped by Falcons in
WIAC Quarterfinals
Box Score
UW-River Falls used a late 11-point run to
become the first team ever to win at Berg Gym twice in the same season
while keeping UW-Stevens Point from advancing to its seventh straight
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women�s basketball
semifinal with a 76-69 victory on Monday.
UW-Stevens Point finished 18-7 and had won six
straight quarterfinal games, while UW-River Falls advances to its first
semifinal since 2001 and will play at UW-Stout on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Falcons ended the Pointers� 22-game home winning streak on Jan. 20
to become the first team to post two wins on UW-Stevens Point�s home
floor in a season. They also are just the fourth team ever to beat the
Pointers three times overall in a season.
The Pointers led 63-58 with 7:29 left, but
then went ice cold as the Falcons made their decisive spurt. Megan
Lindman and Melanie Preiner scored back-to-back baskets and Kim Sorensen
put the Falcons ahead with a short jumper following two offensive
rebounds for a 64-63 lead with 5:15 remaining.
A steal and layup by Preiner followed by a
three-point play by Kelsie Flanscha put UW-River Falls ahead 69-63 with
4:18 to play. UW-Stevens Point, meanwhile, missed nine of its next 10
shots, getting only a rebound basket by Nathalie Lechault to cut the
deficit to 69-65. Preiner responded with two more baskets to put
UW-River Falls ahead 73-65 with 1:42 left.
The Pointers led for much of the first half
and had as big as a 28-21 lead with 5:22 left before halftime. UW-River
Falls used a 7-1 run to cut into the lead and UW-Stevens Point led 35-33
at halftime.
The Falcons held a brief lead in the second
half and the game was tied five times, but the Pointers kept small leads
on the strength of their outside shooting. UW-Stevens Point made 10 of
its first 16 three-point shots with Laura Neuenfeldt and Haley Houghton
each connecting four times from behind the arc.
Another three-pointer from Ashley Windt put
the Pointers ahead 58-55 with 9:04 left and then Ali Nicastro scored
consecutive baskets for UW-Stevens Point around a three-point play from
Lindman. A free throw by Windt gave the Pointers their 63-58 lead before
the Falcons� run.
UW-River Falls had five players in double
figures with Traci Reimann totaling 19 points and eight rebounds.
Sorenson had 12 points and Lindman had 11 points, while Preiner and
Flanscha each scored 10 points. Neuenfeldt and Houghton shared top
scoring honors for the Pointers with 15 points apiece.
The Falcons shot 52.8
percent from the floor, while UW-Stevens Point shot 42.6 percent and was
hampered by seven-for-16 free throw shooting. The Pointers missed their
last six three-point shots to finish 10-for-22 behind the arc. |
