La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team earned a 50-47 victory over Simpson College (Iowa) Sunday afternoon in the Holiday Inn Express Tip-Off Classic in Mitchell Hall.  The Eagles improve to 2-0 on the season while the Storm fall to 1-1.  It is UW-L's first 2-0 start since winning its first six games in 2010-11.  The Eagles went on to finish 20-8 in 2010-11 and earn a bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament.

UW-L led throughout the first half, racing out to a 13-0 lead to start the game as Simpson missed its first 13 shots from the field.  The Storm's first field goal came at 11:18 on a layup from Maddie Muhlenburck to cut the Eagles' lead to 15-4.

Simpson cut the lead to 19-10 with 6:45 remaining on the first on a pair of Brittany Hedrick free throws, but UW-L went on a 12-2 run to lead 31-12 with 1:04 left in the first half on Sierra Watrud's three-point play. 

The Eagles led 31-16 at halftime.

Maggie Bishop made one-of-two free throws with 19:46 left in the game to give UW-L a 32-16 lead.  Simpson used a 12-2 run to cut its deficit to 34-28 with 15:17 remaining after Morgan Mauro's three-pointer.  MaKenzie Miller's layup and Rachel Atchison's three-point field goal gave UW-L a 39-28 lead with 13:08 left, but Simpson came right back with a 10-1 run to make it 40-38 with 10:14 remaining.

UW-L led 44-39 with 6:58 left after a Elise DeNoyer jumper, but Simpson took its first lead of the game scoring the game's next six points to lead 45-44 with 3:33 remaining.  Miller's layup with 3:20 gave the lead back to the Eagles before Britney Boland hit a pair of free throws to give the Storm a 47-46 advantage with 1:55 remaining.

After a UW-L timeout, Atchison hit a go-ahead three-point field goal with :31 left for a 49-47 lead.  Simpson called timeout and Atchison recorded her eighth steal of the game on the ensuing possession and was fouled.  She hit one-of-two free throws with :05 left for the final margin.

UW-L shot 31.7% from the field, including 22.2% (four-of-18) from three-point range.  The Eagles shot 57.1% (eight-of-14) at the line.

Atchison led UW-L with 15 points, hitting four-of-11 three-point field goals attempts.  She also had eight steals, tied for third in single-game school history.  Bishop finished with nine points and eight rebounds while Miller had eight points, five rebounds and three blocks.  Cameron Chapin recorded four points, nine rebounds and five blocks.  Jenna Anderson had four points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals.  UW-L had 18 steals, tied for fourth in single-game school history.

Simpson shot 23.0% (14-of-61) from the field, including 23.5% (four-of-17) from three-point range.  The Storm shot 62.5% (15-of-24) from the free throw line.

Hedrick led Simpson with 11 points while Boland finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

UW-L returns to action Wednesday, November 19 at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) at 6 p.m.