The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team used a strong, pressure defense to create miscues Tuesday night in a 70-56 victory over Lakeland in the team's season opener at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
Junior guard Brooke Trewyn (Whitewater/Whitewater) tallied a game-high 24 points to lead the Warhawks (1-0), who forced 28 turnovers and held a 27-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
UW-Whitewater also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to post 18 second-chance points.
 
Junior guard Malia Smith (Bolingbrook, Ill./Neuqua Valley) registered 10 points and four rebounds and matched a career high with six steals.
 
After the Muskies (0-1) jumped out to a 10-9 lead, UW-Whitewater ended the first quarter on a 10-2 run, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by Trewyn and junior guard Niki Lazar (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley).
 
Lakeland narrowed its deficit to three early in the second quarter, but the Warhawks extended their advantage back to double digits on a pair of free throws by Trewyn, a 3-pointer by freshman guard Becky Raeder (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) and a jumper by Trewyn with 6:04 on the clock.
 
UW-Whitewater pushed its lead to 33-20 by halftime on a steal and layup by sophomore forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) with 1:06 left in the half.
 
The Warhawks continued to extend their lead in the third quarter, taking a 47-27 advantage by the 3:31 mark following two free throws by senior guard Reilly Stewart (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North).
 
The Muskies closed to within 12 by the end of the period, but got no closer the rest of the way.
 
UW-Whitewater resumes non-conference play this weekend at the UW-Eau Claire Tipoff Tournament. The team faces St. Olaf (Minn.) on Friday at 6 p.m. and Simpson (Iowa) on Saturday at 3 p.m.