Women's Hoops Fall at UW-Oshkosh

OSHKOSH, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball fell to UW-Oshkosh, 71-57, on Saturday afternoon at Albee Hall.

Senior Elizabeth Lawinger led the Pioneers (4-7, 1-3 WIAC)  with a team-high 17 points and four assists, while junior Kim Wellnitz netted 15 points and grabbed a team-best six rebounds. Senior Claire Poad added nine points, four boards and three assists.

Katie Kitzke dropped a game-high 25 points to lead the Titans ( as Megan Wengin scored 15 points of her own.

The Pioneers trailed, 12-11, quarter of the way through the first-half, and went on a 14-2 run with the help of a pair of three-pointers from Lawinger. Wellnitz drained a triple to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the game, 25-14, with 9:31 left in the first-half. Kitzke made a jumper in the closing seconds of the half to cut the Pioneers' lead to 34-30. The Pioneers ended the first-half outscoring the Titans 12-6 in the paint and 10-3 off turnovers.

The Titans took their first lead of the second-half, 42-40, at the 14:46 and once UWO earned the lead the offense exploded. UW-Oshkosh scored on seven consecutive trips to go on a 21-5 run and take a commanding 19 point lead, 64-45, with 6:49 left in the game. A pair of free throws by Alyssa Krajco cut the Pioneers' deficit down to 13 points, 64-51, with 5:09 left to play.  UW-Oshkosh end all hope for UW-Platteville by scoring six unanswered to take a 70-51 lead with just over two minutes left.  Even though the game was out of reach, the Pioneers kept fighting and were able to bring the Titans' lead to 14, 71-57, to end the game.

The Pioneers will take next week off for final exams and will head to New York City after the holiday for contests against Brooklyn on Dec. 29 and Baruch on Dec. 30.