Pioneers Comeback Falls Short to Wisconsin Lutheran

WAVERLY, Iowa – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team fell 59-54 Monday afternoon to Wisconsin-Lutheran in Levick Arena, competing in the Wartburg College Holiday Tournament.

The Pioneers (6-4) nearly erased an early 20-point deficit after the Warriors (5-6) put up 23 points and forced eight turnovers while holding the Pioneers to four points in the first quarter.

UW-Platteville reset during the quarter break and put together a 14-2 run to narrow the game 25-18 with 3:28 left in the first half. The Pioneers repeated their rally efforts with a 9-1 run in the final four minutes of the third to the close the gap 40-38. Unfortunately, UW-Platteville was never able to break the two-point gap as the teams went back and forth down the stretch. 

Junior Ella Mackiewicz finished with a team-high 13 points and eight rebounds while adding three assists. Junior Allison Wokatsch scored eight points off the bench and senior Brianna Prieve scored six points along with pulling down four rebounds.

UW-Platteville shot 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the field and 30.8 percent (8-of-26) from deep while making 4-of-11 (36.4) free throws. Wisconsin Lutheran finished 38.5 percent (20-of-51) from the floor, 29.2 percent (2-of-24) from beyond the arc and 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the free throw line.  

The Pioneers look to bounce back and force an upset on Tuesday as they take on No. 2 Wartburg at 11 a.m.