A second half surge that saw UW-Whitewater outscore Carroll University 14-0 in a streak, and 22-2 over the last nine minutes of the game, helped the Warhawks defeat the Pioneers 70-60 in the season opener for both teams at Van Male Fieldhouse in Waukesha, Wisconsin Thursday night.

UW-W broke out to a 9-0 lead with 16:52 remaining in the first half.  Carroll came back to 11-9, but a Katie Burton three-pointer boosted Whitewater back to a 23-15 margin.  Carroll bounced back again, eventually taking a 30-29 lead at 4:17 on two free throws by junior guard Emily DeNoyer.  The Pioneers' 40-36 lead at halftime was their largest of the first twenty minutes. 

Carroll shot 46% from the floor in the first half, Whitewater 48%.  Both teams had their shooting eye at the line, with Whitewater going 10-11 (91%) and Carroll 93% (13-14).  The Pioneers had nine turnovers, Whitewater 11.  Warhawk senior center Cortney Kumerow led both teams with 11 points in the half, with DeNoyer topping Carroll with ten.

The Pioneers' momentum carried over into the second half.  Carroll built its lead to 58-48 with two free throws by Corrine Engels at 9:12. 

But then someone threw a switch, or UW-W head coach Keri Carollo found the magic words.  Carroll did not score again until Breann Maryanski hit two free throws with 3:40 left --- and those would be the only points for the Pioneers the rest of the way.  UW-W junior Kaitlyn Thill hit two threes in the Warhawks' run, and added another with 1:30 left.

Whitewater continued to shoot well in the second half, finishing with 46% from the field (42% on 5-12 threes), also making 23-31 at the line.  The big difference was Carroll, who saw their percentage drop to 22% (6-27), including 1-5 from beyond the arc, in the second half.  Carroll shot 21-26 (81%) on their free throws, and out-rebounded UW-W 40-28.

Thill was the game's leading scorer with 20 points, 12 in the second half.  She went 4-5 from three point range and 8-10 from the line, also adding seven steals and four assists.  Kumerow chipped in with 18 points, on 5-8 shooting from the field and 8-9 at the stripe, with six rebounds.  DeNoyer led Carroll with 16 points, hitting six of 18 field goals.  Maryanski contributed a double double for CU with 14 points and a game high 11 rebounds.

UW-W will be on the road again this weekend, playing in a tournament hosted by Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois.  The Warhawks will face Wartburg College Friday at 5:00.  Saturday's opponent and time will be determined by Friday's play.  The home opener for Whitewater will be Saturday, November 24 at 5:00, with Edgewood College visiting Kachel Gym in Williams Center.