By: Christian van Helden, Athletic Communications Intern
 
Related Links:
2016 WIAC Women's Basketball Championship Web Page

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team lost to UW-Eau Claire 69-59 at Kachel Gymnasium in the first round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship presented by Culver's.
 
The Warhawks (19-7 overall) will learn their NCAA Division III Tournament fate Monday during a live selection show at 1:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. The team was ranked fifth in the Central Region entering the week.
 
Tuesday's game featured seven ties and 19 lead changes. UW-Whitewater's largest lead was six and UW-Eau Claire's largest was 11.
 
UW-Eau Claire (14-12), which advances to Thursday's semifinals to face top-seeded UW-River Falls, finished 24-of-33 (72.7 percent) from the free-throw line on 28 Warhawk fouls. The Blugolds held a 33-18 rebounding advantage on the defensive glass.
 
UW-Whitewater was lead in scoring by sophomore forward Andrea Meinert (West Bend/Kettle Moraine Lutheran), who had 14 points on 7-of-14 (50 percent) shooting. She also grabbed two rebounds and two assists on the evening. Sophomore Brooke Trewyn (Whitewater/Whitewater) and senior Lisa Palmer (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) tied with a team-high six rebounds apiece. Trewyn also tallied nine points, while Palmer and senior guard Abbie Reeves (Salem/Westosha Central) each had eight.
 
Palmer came out scoring the team's first five points. The teams were tied at nine going into the first timeout with 3:32 remaining in the period. Freshman forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI), Meinert and Trewyn also got in on the scoring to give UW-Whitewater a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
UW-Eau Claire started the second quarter on a 7-0 run, to take an 18-17 lead. A Meinert jumper gave the Warhawks lead back 19-18. UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater would continue exchange baskets, with the Blugolds holding the 29-27 advantage at halftime.
 
The Blugolds began the half off with a quick run, stretching their lead to 33-28. Meniert would counter with two consecutive baskets of her own, cutting the UW-Eau Claire lead 33-31. After a Blugold basket, a jumper by junior guard Reilly Stewart (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) and an Andrea Olsen (East Troy/East Troy) layup tied the game at 35 with 4:26 remaining in the quarter. A 3-pointer by Reeves gave the Warhawks a 38-35 lead with 2:58 remaining in the third quarter. UW-Eau Claire countered with a basket of its own to remain ahead 44-43 after three quarters.
 
UW-Eau Claire finished 14-of-21 from the free throw line in the final quarter to put the Warhawks away.