MILWAUKEE – The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team used a stifling defense and a surge early in the third quarter Tuesday night on its way to a 48-42 triumph over Milwaukee School of Engineering in a non-conference affair at the Kern Center.

The Warhawks (5-3 overall) held the Raiders to 32.6 percent shooting and forced 20 turnovers to hand MSOE its first loss of the season.

Junior guard Becky Raeder led UW-Whitewater in scoring with 13 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Senior forward Olivia Freckmann recorded her fist double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and junior guard Megan Corcoran chipped in with seven points, two rebounds and two assists.

The Warhawks outscored the Raiders 30-10 in the paint, 21-6 in points off turnovers and 8-0 in fast break points.

The Warhawks overcame an 8-3 deficit in the first quarter with nine straight points, including four straight by freshman guard Veronica Kieres and a 3-pointer by junior guard Megan Corcoran, to make it 12-8 with 1:12 on the clock. They carried a 12-10 advantage into the second.

UW-Whitewater extended its lead to seven on two separate occasions in the second quarter, but MSOE (6-1) closed the half with five straight points while holding the Warhawks scoreless over the final three minutes of the period.

UW-Whitewater came out with energy in the third quarter, posting an 8-0 run to take a 33-23 advantage at the 7:44 mark. The team increased its lead to 12 on a layup by Corcoran with 3:37 remaining and moved it up to 13 on a layup by Raeder with 1:45 left.

The Warhawks went scoreless over the first five minutes, 21 seconds of the fourth quarter before Raeder snapped the drought with a 3-pointer to make it 42-35.

The Raiders drew to within one possession with 2:43 to play and to two with 59 seconds on the clock, but Raeder calmly sank a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining and hit two more after a defensive stop to clinch the victory.

UW-Whitewater visits Concordia Wisconsin, another member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, next week Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m. in Mequon.