Krajco leads Pioneers past UW-River Falls

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Alyssa Krajco's 27 points lifted the University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team past UW-River Falls, 72-69, on Saturday afternoon in the Karges Center. 

The junior from Richland Center, Wis. was 9-of-18 from the field and 9-of-13 from the charity stripe. Krajco added a game-high and career-best six assists to go with her five rebounds. Juniors Stacy Clark and Rachel Cropp each netted 16 points. Clark was a rebound away from her seventh double-double of the season, and also recorded four assists. 

The Falcons had 11 different players score and were led by Kate Theisen with 16 points; while no other Falcon scored in double figures. 

The Pioneers didn't waste anytime to get on top of the Falcons as they scored the game's first six points. UWRF used a 10-2 run to take its first lead of the game, 10-6, with just over six minutes into the contest. The Falcons and the Pioneers went back-and-forth in the final 13 minutes with six lead changes and four ties. UWRF managed to take the slight edge into halftime, 36-34. 

Over the next 17 minutes no team lead by more than four points. UWRF's Hannah Pignato tied the game up for the 11th time with a pair of free throws, 59-59, with just under three minutes left to play. The Pioneers then went on to score seven unanswered points, 66-59, with 1:37 remaining. UWRF cut it to a two-point game with just over a minute to go, but the Pioneers made their free throws down the stretch to secure the win. 

UW-Platteville ends the regular season 13-12 and 7-9 in the WIAC, and for the first time since 2008, the Pioneers will play in the WIAC Championship. UW-Platteville finish the season in fourth in the WIAC standings for the first time since 1989-90.

The Pioneers will be the six-seed and travel to the third-seeded UW-Stevens Point on Tuesday.