Yellowjackets 61, UW-Eau Claire 58
The Yellowjacket women's basketball team was in action Saturday as they took on UW-Eau Claire in day two of the UW-Eau Claire Tip-Off Classic. After falling to UW-La Crosse Friday, the Yellowjackets were looking for a change of fortune against the host school. They got what they needed as they defeated the Blugolds 61-58.
Things got started fast for the Yellowjackets as they scored the first four points of the game on a Grace Kennedy jump shot and a Hailey Kontny layup. The Blugolds answered back, as they scored the next six points to take a 6-4 lead with 6:10 left in the first quarter. The teams then started to exchange the lead back and forth for much of the quarter, before a pair of Amelia Leger free throws gave the Yellowjackets a 16-14 lead going into the break.
The second quarter saw the Yellowjackets push the lead to 26-18 when Hadley Skalmoski got fouled on a made jumper and hit the ensuing free throw. Once again the Blugolds stormed back to tie up the game at 26-26 with 2:40 left in the quarter. A pair of layups by Skalmoski gave the Yellowjackets a 30-26 lead before the Blugolds Bree Meier hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 30-29, a score these two teams would go into the half with.
The Blugolds came out of the break on a mission as they took a 44-35 lead with 3:36 remaining in the third. This time it was the Yellowjackets who had to fight back from a deficit, as they managed to go into the fourth quarter only down by six at 50-44.
The Yellowjackets kept chipping away at the Blugold lead over the course of the fourth quarter, cutting it down to on at 54-53 with 3:58 remaining following an Allie Nelson 3-pointer and a Skalmoski layup.
With the moment shifted in their favor, the Yellowjackets were able to tie it up at 56-56 following a Sarah Lekson layup and point after. A Lekson layip with 2:46 remaining gave the Yellowjackets a 58-56 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the way as they held on to defeat the Blugolds.
Skalmoski was easily the Yellowjackets best player, finishing with a team leading 16 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and two steals before fouling out.
Nelson finished with eight points and four assists while Kontny finished with eight points and six rebounds.
The Blugolds were paced by Erin O'Toole, whose 15 points and seven rebounds led the team. Teenie Lichtfuss was the only other player for UW-Eau Claire in double figures as she finished with 13 points and a team leading six steals.
The Yellowjackets shot 44.9% from the field while going 2-5 from the 3-point arc and hitting 15-21 free throws.
UW-Eau Claire shot 39.3% from the field while hitting 7-24 3-pointers and going 7-13 from the free throw line.
Next up for the Yellowjackets (3-1, 0-0 UMAC) is a trip to St. Joseph Tuesday, November 24 to take on the College of Saint Benedict in a non-conference matchup. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.