The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team came up just short in its bid for a comeback Saturday afternoon, falling 60-49 against UW-La Crosse in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest on Alumni Day at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
After being outscored 9-2 in the second quarter and trailing 27-15 at halftime, the Warhawks (8-7 overall, 1-3 WIAC) cut their deficit in half two minutes into the third quarter after buckets by junior guard Megan Corcoran (Madison, Wis./LaFollette), senior forward Sarah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and senior forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI).
 
UW-Whitewater continued on its 14-3 run to start the second half, drawing to within 30-29 midway through the period after a jumper by sophomore center Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East).
 
The Warhawks drew to within one point two more times during the quarter, but the Eagles (14-1, 3-1) continued to respond and led 41-37 by the end of the frame.
 
Freckmann brought UW-Whitewater to within 45-43 with 6:03 to play on a layup, and the team got within one possession two more times over the next three minutes.
 
After Freckmann's free throws cut the deficit to three with 3:02 on the clock, UW-La Crosse scored the next nine points to put the game out of reach.
 
Freckmann led the Warhawks with her second straight double-double and third of the season with 11 points and a career high-tying 17 rebounds. Schumacher posted 10 points, three rebounds and two steals, and junior guard Becky Raeder (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) collected six points, five assists and three rebounds.
 
UW-Whitewater held the Eagles to 36.8 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers, but was outscored 11-4 at the free-throw line.
 
The Warhawks held the lead for 29 seconds in the first quarter after a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) made it 11-10 with 1:39 to play in the period. Raeder tied the game at 13-13 with 48 seconds remaining, but UW-La Crosse scored the final five points of the quarter and never trailed again.
 
UW-Whitewater visits 15th-ranked UW-Oshkosh Wednesday at 7 p.m.