UW-Whitewater fell to Wisconsin Lutheran College 78-69 Saturday night in Milwaukee.

box score

UW-W steadily built a lead in the first half, eventually reaching a ten point margin, twice, at 17-7 at 11:47 and 19-9 at 10:59.  WLC used a 16-4 streak to take a 25-23 with 5:12 left in the half, then after a three point play by UW-W's Melissa Olsen (Carol Stream, IL/West Chicago Community), used an 8-0 burst to lead 33-26 with 2:17 on the clock.  The half ended with WLC in front 38-33.

The Warriors pushed the margin to ten, twice early in the second half, 47-37 at 17:58 and 52-42 at 16:03.  It was the Warhawks' turn for a streak, outscoring WLC 14-4 to tie the game at 56-56 with 8:53 left in the game.  UW-W was never to break through the tie, although the Warhawks trailed just 63-62 on a three point play by Kaitlyn Thill (Belgium/Ozaukee) at 6:10, and still had it at 65-64 with 5:08 on the clock.  The Warriors fashioned another run, 8-2, before the Warhawks were forced to foul to stop the clock.  WLC made six free throws in the last twenty-nine seconds of the game.

Wisconsin Lutheran had their shooting strokes down.  WLC shot 58% from the floor, 38% on threes, and went 24-33 (72%) from the line.  Whitewater made 46% of its shots, 16% from beyond the arc, and (16-25) 64% from the line.  The Warriors had to shoot that well to overcome the Whitewater defense that forced 26 turnovers and stole the ball 16 times.  Thill, a freshman guard playing her second collegiate game, broke the school record with 13 steals, surpassing Sharon Romel's mark of ten set December 10, 1983.

Thill led UW-W with 19 points, hitting 6-7 from the line.  Also in double figures was senior center Dana Thompson (Belleville/Belleville) with 15 and tied for the game high with six rebounds.  Olsen added eleven points.

Shavon Dillon had game highs with 23 points and four assists.  Rachel Johnson added 22 points, hitting 6-8 from the floor and 9-11 from the line.  She also tied Thompson for the rebound lead with six.  Erika Laete added 12 points, and Krissy Day shared rebounding honors with six.

UW-Whitewater, 1-1, will travel to Bloomington, Illinois to face Illinois Wesleyan University Tuesday, November 23.  The home opener for the Warhawks will be Wednesday, December 8 when UW-W tips off against UW-Stevens Point at 7:00 in Kachel Gym of Williams Center.