Four Pioneers reach double figures in 76-68 loss to Coe College

PLATTEVILLE – Four Pioneers scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough to stop the UW-Platteville women's basketball team's three-game losing streak Wednesday night at Williams Fieldhouse.

Sophomore Aleena Hobbs scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead visiting Coe College (Iowa) to a 76-68 non-conference victory over UW-Platteville on Bo Ryan Court.

Sophomore guard Morgan Hartman (Rochester, Minn.) scored a co-team-high 12 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Pioneers, who fell to 1-5 with a fourth straight loss.

Freshman point guard Morgan Horstman (Bangor) finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists for the home team. Fellow Pioneer freshman Allison Prestegaard (Amboy, Ill.) posted a near double-double of 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior Elisa Bilderback (Platteville) chipped in 10 points and three boards in the loss. Freshman Lexis Macomber (Lanark, Ill.) added eight points and eight rebounds off the bench for Coach Megan Wilson's young Pioneer squad, which played seven freshmen and two sophomores in the game.

UW-Platteville twice made it a one-possession game in the final 6:22, but both time's Hobbs had the answer for the Kohawks (3-1).

A Hartman layup with 6:22 trimmed the Pioneer deficit to 61-59, but Hobbs responded with a pair of free throws and Jordan Holmes steal and breakaway layup made it a six-point game just moments later.

Sophomore guard Sydnei Smith (Rhinelander) drilled a three-pointer with 2:58 left to pull UW-Platteville within three at 69-66, but Hobbs made a drying layup on the next Coe possession. A minute later Taylor Anderson swished a three-pointer to give the Kohawks a 74-66 lead with 1:29 remaining.

UW-Platteville led by as many as six points in the first half after a Bilderback jumper with 3:21 left in the second quarter, but the Kohawks closed the half on a 6-0 run to send the teams to the half tied at 36-36.

Prestegaard scored the first points of the third quarter on a pair of free throws a minute into the second half to give the Pioneers their final lead of the game.  

Mickey Hansche buried a pair of three-pointers and Hobbs capped Coe's ensuing 10-0 run with a layup to give the visitors a 46-38 lead.

The Pioneers countered with an 8-0 run of their own late in the quarter to tie the game at 50-50 on a layup by Smith, but UWP never could regain the lead.

UW-Platteville shot just 37.3 percent (25-of-67) in the loss compared to 43.1 percent (28-65) by Coe and were outscored 10-0 in fast break points.

The game featured 10 ties and seven lead changes.

The Pioneers will return to action Saturday against the University of Dubuque (2-3). The Spartans defeated UW-La Crosse 77-68 on Wednesday night. Saturday's tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

Written by Jason Nihles, Sports Information Assistant