WHITEWATER, Wis. (UWECBlugolds.com) - After holding a lead for most of the first four minutes of the game, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team couldn't keep pace and fell 85-75 at UW-Whitewater today.

The Blugolds led by as much as four points (10-6), four minutes into the game. Hannah Mesick (Sr.-Chatfield, Minn.) scored six of the Blugolds' 10 points in the opening minutes and had 12 after the first 10 minutes of play. She finished with a career-high 31 points.

But Eau Claire had a tough time keeping pace with the Warhawks, and despite being down by just four points at the intermission, Whitewater began to pull away in the second half.

From the 18-minute mark to 13:55, Whitewater used a 15-4 run to build a 15-point lead, tying its largest lead of the game. The Blugolds got to within seven with just over nine minutes to play but the Warhawks then went on a 17-9 run to get back up again by 15 points. In the final four minutes, Eau Claire outscored Whitewater 7-2.

With double-digit point totals for Eau Claire were Sarah Bingea(So.-Delano, Minn.) with 17 points and Laura Olson (Jr.-Osseo, Wis./Osseo-Fairchild) with 10. Bingea led the game with nine rebounds but the Warhawks outrebounded the Blugolds 36-28. 

Mesick went 12-for-19 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She also had six rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

Eau Claire is now 13-10 overall and 7-7 in the WIAC. Whitewater is 18-5 on the season and 10-4 in the conference.

The Blugolds will be home Wednesday to face UW-Superior for PinkZone. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.