The No. 8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team recorded one of its most efficient offensive performances of the season Saturday afternoon on its way to an 86-62 victory against UW-River Falls in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest on Alumni Day at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (15-1 overall, 6-0 WIAC) shot a season-best 52.5 percent from the floor and made 9-of-21 from 3-point range, including six of their first eight attempts. Defensively, UW-W held the Falcons to 34.4 percent shooting.
 
Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) paced a balanced UW-Whitewater offense with 12 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) tallied 11 points and four rebounds, while Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.
 
Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) knocked down three 3-pointers on her way to nine points, five rebounds and two blocks. Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) finished with nine points, and Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) collected seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocks.
 
Both teams started strong on the offensive end as the Warhawks led 15-11 near the midway point of the first quarter. UW-W scored the next eight points, including 3-pointers by Kieres and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward). for a 23-11 advantage with 3:40 on the clock.
 
After UW-River Falls (7-7, 0-5) drew to within nine on the next possession, UW-Whitewater embarked on a 9-0 run as Kieres capped the spurt with a driving layup for a 32-14 lead with just under a minute left in the period.
 
The Warhawks built on their lead early in the second, starting the quarter with 10 straight points and holding the Falcons scoreless until the 6:20 mark. UW-W's advantage remained in the 20s over the course of the rest of the half, and the team led 52-27 through 20 minutes of action.
 
UW-Whitewater posted its largest lead of the game following Sto. Domingo's 3-pointer with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter. A layup by Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg) in the final seconds of the frame gave the Warhawks a 70-44 advantage entering the fourth.
 
A total of 13 different players saw action for UW-W in the final period.
 
UW-Whitewater visits UW-La Crosse Wednesday at 7 p.m.