The No. 23 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team turned in a dominant performance at both ends of the floor Saturday to maintain its first-place standing with an 84-52 victory against No. 17 UW-Eau Claire on Play4Kay Day at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
The Warhawks (17-5 overall, 8-3 WIAC) moved one game ahead of the Blugolds in the league standings and remain tied for first place with UW-Stout with three games to play in the regular season.
 
UW-W shot 45.9 percent from the floor, including 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from 3-point range, and made 18-of-20 from the free-throw line. The Warhawks limited UW-EC to 32.8 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers.
 
Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) led all scorers with 22 points to go with five rebounds, while Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) tallied 20 points, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg) collected a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds to go with three assists and three blocks.
 
Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) also finished in double figures in scoring. Trautsch posted 14 points and Sto. Domingo tallied 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.
 
UW-Whitewater jumped out to a 10-0 lead through the first three minutes of action and never trailed in the contest.
 
The Blugolds (16-6, 7-4) drew to within 14-11 at the 2:09 mark of the opening quarter, but a pair of free throws by Carollo and one by Lunden Alexander (Dolton, Ill./Thornwood) doubled the UW-W lead to 17-11 by the end of the frame.
 
Grundahl's 3-pointer on the first possession of the second quarter pushed the Warhawk advantage to nine. The two teams traded baskets before UW-W's lead reached double figures on a pair of Grundahl free throws with 6:21 on the clock.
 
UW-Eau Claire got as close as four points, but UW-Whitewater ended the half on an 8-0 run, punctuated on a 3-point play by Grundahl in the waning moments, for a 40-26 halftime lead.
 
The Warhawks' advantage remained in double figures for the remainder of the game. Sto. Domingo expanded the UW-W lead to 20 on a 3-pointer with 4:14 left in the third quarter.
 
UW-Whitewater led by as many as 25 in the third and pushed the advantage as high as 37 following a layup by Belschner just past the midway point of the fourth.
 
The Warhawks resume action Wednesday at UW-Oshkosh. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.