WAUKESHA, Wis. – With just nine active players, the Carroll University women's basketball team defeated the No. 4/5 ranked UW-Whitewater Warhawks 71-62. Katie Evans finished with a career-high 22 points on 8-13 shooting, including 4-5 from behind the arc. Kate Christian closed out the game shooting 10-12 at the free-throw line for 15 points to go with seven assists.
 
The Pioneers (9-3, 1-3 CCIW) defeated a top-five team in the nation for the first time in program history. Carroll finished shooting 61.5% from three, knocking down 8-13 and made 17 of 22 free-throws. The Pios pulled in 49 rebounds, with eight going to Allison Thompson and seven to Elizabeth Behrndt. Carroll outscored a large UWW team in the paint, 24-22, and picked up 21 points off turnovers through 14 steals. Carroll led for 18:45 of the game, compared to Whitewater's 16:30 time of possession.
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early three-point lead from Evan's first basket of the game and held the lead for the next six minutes into the first quarter. The Warhawks took the lead but Evans snatched it right back with another fast-break three-pointer. When the dust settled on the first quarter, both teams were tied 16 all. Evans was perfect from the field in the first 10 minutes. The Warhawks took control of the second quarter, taking a 10 point lead with 2:28 left in the half. A Thompson jumper outside the paint and two free throws from Christian cut the deficit to six points at halftime.
 
Lauren Soyke and Megan Madsen got in on the three-point barrage, knocking down jump shots to cut the UWW lead to five with 5:17 left in the third. Evans tied the ballgame with a pull-up jump shot, which sparked a 5-3 Carroll run to end quarter number three. The determined Pioneers launched a 10-1 run to start the fourth quarter, as the Warhawks struggled to make a basket. With Whitewater threatening with under four to play, Behrndt and Evans added five points back quickly to take an 11 point lead. The Warhawks worked back to down as little as five, but Christian finished the final 1:31 of the game 7-8 from the free-throw line to put away the game.
 
The Pioneers will face Carthage College in the first CCIW game of the new year on January 5^th in Kenosha. Carroll has won their last three contests against the Firebirds.