The UW-Superior women's basketball team was presented with a rare opportunity Saturday afternoon.
Not only were the Yellowjackets looking to hand the UW-Stevens Point Pointers their second loss in WIAC conference action, they were also looking to set a school record for consecutive victories in the process.
And the Yellowjackets found themselves in position to do just that, trailing only 34-32 early in the second half.
UW-Stevens Point pulled away from there however, getting several key plays down the stretch to hand UW-Superior a 76-60 defeat and in the process, snap the Yellowjackets' six-game winning streak.
The Yellowjackets (8-5 overall, 2-3 WIAC) started fast in the opening half, getting five quick points from Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis./Valders), a layup from Brynn Liljander (Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) and scores from Grace Kennedy (Wausau, Wis./Newman Catholic) and Hadley Skalmoski (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) to take an 11-6 lead with 12:44 left in the opening half.
UW-Stevens Point (11-3, 5-1) responded by scoring the next 11 points to take a 17-11 lead following a three-pointer by Jenna Pitt with 9:35 left on the clock.
Two free throws each from Vanessa Lebens (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) and Britnee Blake (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) brought the Yellowjackets to within 17-15 with 8:28 remaining in the opening half.
The Pointers went to score the next nine points to expand their lead to 26-15 on Allie Miceli's inside score at the 4:29 mark before heading into the intermission holding on a 33-19 cushion.
UW-Superior started fast in the second half, scoring 13 of the first 14 points of the frame to cut the deficit to two at 34-32 just 3:45 into the frame.
Blake started the run with a jumper and was followed by a three-point shot from Deandra Vavra (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti), a jumper from Linzmeier, an inside score from Skalmoski and four points from Lebens to cut the deficit to two with 16:15 remaining on the clock.
But five points from Miceli, along with three-point shots from Jamie Destache and Autumn Hennes helped the Pointers score 13 of the next 18 points for a 47-37 UW-Stevens Point advantage at the 12:08 mark of regulation.
The Yellowjackets never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way as the Pointers took their largest lead of the contest on a three-pointer by Destache with 7:45 left that made it a 62-44 game.
Offensively, UW-Superior was led by Linzmeier with 14 points while Liljander finished with 12.
UW-Stevens Point was paced by Destache with a game-high 19 points. Micelli added 17 points while Pitt had 13 and Myranda Tyler pitched in with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The Yellowjackets will host UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday. Opening tipoff from Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.