1999-00 Pioneer Women's Basketball Season Recap

Pioneers end season at UW-Whitewater

UW-Whitewater held UW-Platteville to 27 percent from the field and beat the Pioneers 67-45 in a WIAC post-season first-round game in UW-W's Katchel Gymnasium.

The loss ended the Pioneers' season at 11-14, while the 17-8 Warhawks advance to the semifinals, where they will play at UW-Oshkosh Wednesday.

UW-Whitewater took a 31-24 halftime lead, then used its superior height advantage in the second half to increase the margin. Six-foot-4 Vanessa Rieder scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, including a jumper that started a 10-0 run that increased the Warhawk lead to 54-33. Rieder added 12 rebounds, and Becky Nystrom tied a WIAC post-season tournament record with 13 boards.

No Pioneer scored in double figures. Grace Foster had 9 points, Jolene Wessel 8 and Laurie Buechel 8. Tiff Flesch grabbed 11 rebounds.

The future looks promising for the Pioneers and coaches Denise Dunbar, Amber Daulbaugh and Megan Huntington.

The Pioneers lose just two seniors from the team: Jolene Wessel, who finished as Platteville's sixth all-time leading scorer with 1,008 points, and Lisa Dietzel, who returned from a stress fracture to see her first action since Jan. 15.

Four players who started Wednesday return, including guards Buechel and Foster and the freshmen post tandem of Flesch and Sara Maass.

They will continue to build upon a 1999-2000 season that saw the Pioneers win their most games in four years and win 6 league games for only the second time since 1992.

Wessel scores 1,000th career point in loss

Jolene Wessel became the sixth player in UW-Platteville history to score 1,000 career points, but UW-Stout used a strong start to the second half to win 83-67 in Williams Fieldhouse Wednesday.

Wessel earned her milestone in vintage fashion, making her 134th career steal and going the length of the court for a layup with 29 seconds remaining.

The Pioneers led 34-33 at the half, but then missed 14 of their first 15 shots in the second half. UW-Stout went on a 17-4 run during that time to take a 50-38 lead. UWP was never able to get closer than 8 points the rest of the way.

UW-Platteville finished the regular season at 11-13 overall and 6-10 in the WIAC. The Pioneers open post-season play Monday at third-place UW-Whitewater. UW-Stout, the fourth seed, will host UW-River Falls.

Laurie Buechel led the Pioneers with 20 points, while Wessel had 14, Allison Rotramel 11 and Sara Maass 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Both Stacie Anderson and Amy Zelinger had 17 for UW-Stout (14-10, 10-6). Aslyn Johnson added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Blue Devils, who held a 59-35 advantage on the boards.

UWP wins fourth in a row

UW-Platteville won its fourth consecutive women's basketball game, beating UW-La Crosse 67-47 in La Crosse's Mitchell Hall.

The Pioneers overcame an early 13-3 deficit with a 14-2 run, tying the contest at 25-25 by halftime. UWP took control midway through the second half with a 19-5 run and cruised to the victory from there.

The Pioneers shot 53.8 percent in the second half, and held the Eagles to 29.2 percent while outscoring them 42-22 in the final 20 minutes.

UWP improved to 11-12 overall and 6-9 in the WIAC. The Eagles fell to 4-18, 2-13.

Laurie Buechel led the Pionees with 20 points, while Allison Rotramel and Sara Maass each had 12. Tiff Flesch had 10 rebounds and 4 assists, both team-highs.

The Pioneers play their last home game Wednesday at 7 p.m. against UW-Stout. Seniors Lisa Dietzel and Jolene Wessel will be saluted before the 7 p.m. contest.

Pioneers have near-record night

UW-Platteville recorded its largest victory since February, 1991, beating UW-Superior 84-45 Wednesday in Williams Fieldhouse.

The 39-point victory was the largest since beating Cornell 94-33 almost a decade ago. In the process, the Pioneers bettered their win total of a year ago, improving to 10-12 overall and 5-9 in the WIAC. The Yellowjackets, who beat the Pioneers 76-55 on Jan. 10, fell to 6-15, 2-11.

The Pioneers' defense keyed the win, holding the Yellowjackets scoreless for a 9:24 stretch in the first half and building a 30-13 halftime lead. UWP led by as many as 40 points in the second period, at 62-22 and 64-24.

Five Pioneers scored in double figures, led by Jolene Wessel's 18 points. The senior moved within 20 of 1,000 career points.

Amy Uppena, Grace Foster and Laurie Buechel all had 13 points, while Allison Rotramel added 11. Uppena also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 2 shots.

The Yellowjackets, who shot just 27.4 percent for the game, were led by Teri Olson's 15.

Pioneers put sting to the Bees

UW-Platteville hit all 11 of its second-half free throws, including 8 in the final 2:05, as the Pioneers beat St. Ambrose 84-75 Monday in Williams Fieldhouse.

Tiff Flesch hit six of the free shots, and Grace Foster had two in the final minutes. Foster also nailed a huge three-point basket with 42 seconds left, turning a six-point advantage into an 82-73 lead.

The Pioneer victory was their second in a row and raised their record to 9-12. St. Ambrose, who beat the Pioneers 92-91 back on Nov. 23, lost for just the sixth time, falling to 22-6.

Flesch led the Pioneers with 23 points, including 12 of 13 from the line. Jolene Wessel added 18 points and became the seventh all-time leading scorer in UW-Platteville history with 962 career points. Laurie Buechel added 11 points, while Sara Maass and Allison Rotramel each had 10 points. Maass led UWP in rebounding with 12.

The Pioneers led 42-41 at the half and extended the lead to 61-50 midway through the second half. The Bees sliced the deficit to 68-67, but Flesch responded with a jumper in the lane, and Rotramel hit a three-point bomb, pushing the advantage back to 73-67. The Bees were forced to foul, and the Pioneers made them pay by converting the chances.

UW-Platteville will see its second set of bees Wednesday when UW-Superior comes to Williams Fieldhouse. The Pioneers and Yellowjackets tip off at 5:15 p.m. in the first part of a doubleheader with the men's team.

Pioneers rebound to beat Point

Sara Maass recorded the sixth-highest rebounding total in UW-Platteville history, and the Pioneer defense held Jessica Ott to 32 fewer points than in the first meeting, leading UWP to a 59-43 victory over UW-Stevens Point Saturday in Williams Fieldhouse.

Maass grabbed 18 rebounds to go with her 12 points. Fellow freshman front-liner Tiff Flesch also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Ott scored a UWSP record-tying 36 points in the Pointers' 84-69 win in Stevens Point Jan. 8. Saturday, she missed her first 10 shots and finished with a 2 of 15 shooting night for four points.

The Pioneers passed the Pointers for sixth place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 4-9 league mark. They are 8-12 overall. The Pointers fell to 9-12, 4-10.

Jolene Wessel added 11 points and moved into eighth place in the UWP career scoring charts. The senior from Belmont High School now has 944 points.

The Pioneers are right back at Williams Fieldhouse Monday night to face 22-5 St. Ambrose. The Bees edged the Pioneers 92-91 in overtime back on Nov. 23.

Pioneer upset bid falls short

UW-Eau Claire broke open a one-point game with a late 15-3 run, lifting the undefeated Blugolds to a 70-56 women's basketball victory over UW-Platteville Wednesday in front of 950 fans at UWEC's Zorn Arena.

The Pioneers trailed the second-ranked Blugolds by just 44-43 with 8:49 remaining before the 'Golds started their run.

UW-Eau Claire improved to 19-0 overall and 11-0 in the WIAC. The Pioneers fell to 7-12 overall and 3-9 in league play.

The Pioneers were within 25-22 at the half, and took two leads in the final period, with the largest at 28-25. Sara Maass's basket gave the Pioneers their final lead at 32-30 with 14:10 left.

Laurie Buechel poured in 24 points to lead the Pioneers, and Jolene Wessel added 11. Tiff Flesch and Maass each had 8 points, with Flesch pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Pioneers play UW-Stevens Point Saturday at 7 p.m. in Williams Fieldhouse.

Warhawks top Pioneers

UW-Whitewater's women basketball team pulled away late in the game to defeat UW-Platteville 82-62 Saturday in Williams Fieldhouse.

The Warhawks led 62-54 with under five minutes to play, then scored 9 straight points to put the game away.

The good news for the Pioneers, who had been averaging 23 turnovers per contest, was they turned it over just 11 times Saturday. The difference came in shooting, where the Warhawks hit 53 percent of their shots, compared to 35 percent for the Pioneers.

The Warhawks improved to 13-6 overall and 7-4 in the WIAC, while the Pioneers fell to 7-11, 3-8.

Vanessa Rieder led Whitewater with 19 points, while Brenda Brooks added 18, including the team's first 9 on three-point baskets. She finished with six treys.

Laurie Buechel led the Pioneers with 17 points, while Sara Maass had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Jolene Wessel added 11 points.

Pioneers drop close road game

UW-River Falls outlasted UW-Platteville 58-52 in a tight WIAC game at UWRF's Karges Center Wednesday night.

The nick-and-tuck affair featured the Falcons taking 8- to 10-point leads, only to see the Pioneers battle back within a couple of baskets. The Pioneers cut a 10-point lead to 5 on a pair of Tiff Flesch free throws with 50 seconds left, but the Falcons made just enough from the line (3 of 6) down the stretch to hang on.

The Pioneers fell to 7-10 overall, 3-7 in the WIAC. The Falcons improved to 10-9, 5-6.

Laurie Buechel led UWP with 15 points, while Jolene Wessel added 13 and Sara Maass had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Andrea Long (22 points) and Melissa McKernon (19) combined for 41 of UWRF's 58 points on 17 of 26 shooting. They also had 14 rebounds.

The Pioneers return home Saturday to face UW-Whitewater at 7 p.m.

Oshkosh proves to be too tall an order

UW-Oshkosh exploited its height advantage and beat UW-Platteville 70-39 Wednesday in Williams Fieldhouse.

Six-foot-3 center Jennie Vosters led all scorers with 22 points and added 9 rebounds for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh held the Pioneers to 24 percent shooting in the second half and 31.8 percent overall.

No Pioneer was in double figures. Allison Rotramel led the team with 9 points, while Laurie Buechel and Sara Maass each had 8 for the Pioneers, who were missing starting guard Lisa Dietzel with a foot injury.

The Pioneers fell to 7-9 overall and 3-6 in the WIAC, while the Titans improved to 14-3, 8-1.

Wessel's hoop lifts UWP to win

Jolene Wessel picked up a loose ball on a scramble and banked in a 10-foot jump shot with 18 seconds remaining, giving UW-Platteville a 69-67 victory over UW-La Crosse Saturday in Williams Fieldhouse.

The Eagles' Alisha Erickson had two chances to tie the game, but just missed both shots, including one an inbounds play with 0.2 seconds left on the clock.

The win halted a four-game losing streak for the Pioneers and improved their record to 7-8 overall, 3-5 in the WIAC. The Eagles fell to 2-13, 0-8.

Wessel scored a game-high 21 points, while center Sara Maass added 19 points, including 9 of 10 from the line. Laurie Buechel chipped in 11 points, while Allison Rotramel scored 10 off the bench.

The Eagles took a 26-24 halftime lead and led 41-40 with 13:52 remaining, but that would be the last lead they would hold. Lisa Dietzel's three-point basket gave UWP a 43-40 lead and ignited a Pioneer run. UW-Platteville went up by as many as 10 at 61-51, and 63-53.

UW-La Crosse clawed back into the game by hitting the offensive boards and converting shots. Shelley Bakken's three-point shot tied the score at 67-67 with 41 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Wessel's game-winning shot.

The Pioneers are back at Williams Fieldhouse Wednesday to face UW-Oshkosh at 7 p.m.

Inspired Yellowjackets beat Pioneers

An inspired UW-Superior team beat UW-Platteville 76-55 Wednesday in Superior. It was the first time for the Yellowjackets on the court since the tragic car accident that claimed the life of junior guard/forward Calah Matthias and injured teammate Jessica Reed. They were going to the funeral of another teammate's father, when their car was involved in the accident.

The Yellowjackets led 29-20 at the half and gradually increased the margin throughout the second half. UW-Superior, which postponed last Saturday's and Monday's games, improved to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Pioneers fell to 6-8, 2-5 with their fourth straight loss.

Laurie Buechel led the Pioneers with 16 points, while Tiff Flesch and Grace Foster each scored 10 points.

The Pioneers return to the court Saturday when they play host to UW-La Crosse at 7 p.m.

Blue Devils blitz Pioneers

UW-Stout forced 35 UW-Platteville turnovers and grabbed 26 offensive rebounds, which enabled the Blue Devils to attempt 40 more shots in their 80-57 victory Monday night in Menomonie.

The Pioneers actually shot the ball better--38 percent to 37 percent--but made only 19 field goals, compared to Stout's 33.

Tiff Flesch led the Pioneers with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Jolene Wessel had 9 points and Sara Maass 8.

UW-Platteville fell to 6-7 overall and 2-4 in the WIAC.

The Pioneers face an emotional game Wednesday, as they will stay up north to play UW-Superior. The first game of a men's/women's doubleheader between UW-Platteville and UW-Superior will be the first time the Yellowjacket women will be on the floor since the tragic car accident that killed Calah Matthias and injured teammate Jessica Reed. They were going to the funeral of another teammate's father, when their car was involved in a fatal accident.

Wednesday's first game tips off at 5:15 p.m., with the men's contest to follow.

Ott, Pointers down UWP

UW-Stevens Point, behind a school record-tying performance by Jessica Ott, beat UW-Platteville 84-69 Saturday afternoon in Stevens Point.

Ott scored 36 points, including a key three-point basket, to tie a 14-year-old Pointer record. Her most damaging points came with 2:47 to play, after the Pioneers fought back to within 67-63. Ott's long-range basket forced the Pioneers to foul, and the Pointers connected on 10 of 12 free throws in the final minutes to secure the win.

The Pioneers dropped to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in WIAC play. They were led by Jolene Wessel's 15 points and Laurie Buechel's 13. Tiff Flesch turned in another outstanding came with 11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

Carry Boehning added 21 points for UWSP, who improved to 8-5 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Blugolds stop UWP winning streak

Undefeated UW-Eau Claire put an end to UW-Platteville's four-game winning streak with an 80-56 women's basketball victory Wednesday in Williams Fieldhouse.

The Blugolds, ranked sixth in NCAA III, improved to 12-0 by forcing 30 Pioneer turnovers, which helped the visitors get off 28 more shots from the field. Neither team shot well Wednesday, as Eau Claire was 35 percent from the floor and 62 percent from the line. The Pioneers were 36 percent from the floor and 53 percent from the line.

Platteville hung close for the first 13 minutes of the game, trailing only 27-23 with 7:42 remaining in the first half. The Blugolds closed the half with a 14-5 run, making the score 41-28. Eau Claire got the lead up to 21 with 14:11 remaining in the game, and the lead never dipped below 20 points again.

Jayme Anderson and Vanessa Schley each had double-doubles for UWEC. Anderson, who has led her team in scoring in all 12 games, scored 25 points with 10 rebounds and 6 steals. Schley had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Pioneer freshman center Sara Maass also recorded double digits in two categories with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Pioneers fell to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in the WIAC. They are back in action Saturday afternoon at UW-Stevens Point for a 3 p.m. game.

Pioneers win shootout title

The Next Level Desert Shootout lived up to its name, as the UW-Platteville women's basketball team beat Alma (Mich.) College 89-83 in the championship game at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Wednesday.

The Pioneers had four players in double figures, including three with 20 or more points. Junior center Amy Uppena scored a career-high 26 points, while senior guard Jolene Wessel added 23 and freshman forward Tiff Flesch had 20. Lisa Dietzel scored two three-point baskets to begin the second half and draw the Scots out of their zone. She finished with 11 points.

UW-Platteville is on a four-game winning streak for the first time since 1995-96. The Pioneers are now 6-4 overall. Alma fell to 5-5.

The Pioneers return to action Jan. 5, when they play host to league-leading UW-Eau Claire at 7 p.m.

Pioneers take Manhattanville

UW-Platteville overwhelmed Manhattanville (NY) College 75-49 Tuesday in the first round of the Next Level Desert Shootout at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

The Pioneers will face Alma (MI) in the championship game Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. CST. The Scots beat St. Norbert 73-59 in the first semifinal.

UW-Platteville led 35-23 at the half, then exploded for a huge second period. The Pioneers led by as many as 32 points midway through the second half.

Sara Maass led a very balanced attack with 12 points. Jolene Wessel and Laurie Buechel added 11 points apiece for the Pioneers, who won their third straight game to improve to 5-4 overall.

Pioneers put Warhawks in deep freeze

UW-Platteville held UW-Whitewater to just one field goal in the final 10:38 and beat the host Warhawks 53-40 in a WIAC game Saturday afternoon.

The Pioneer defense allowed just 6 baskets in 35 attempts (17.1%) in the final 20 minutes. The Warhawks missed their final 13 shots from the floor.

The Pioneers were not exactly burning up the nets, either. The Pioneers hit just 26 percent from the floor, but most of their baskets counted as three points. With the Warhawks enjoying a sizeable height advantage--anchored by 6-5 Vanessa Reider--the Pioneers were forced to go outside. OF UWP's 16 fields, 11 of them were three-point baskets. Conversely, the Warhawks were 0-12 from beyond the arc.

Laurie Buechel led UWP with 18 points,while Lisa Dietzel added 12 points and 5 assists. Both Tiff Flesch and Jolene Wessel had 9 rebounds.

The Pioneers improved to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the WIAC, while the Warhawks fell to 3-4, 1-3.

Big start keys UWP win

UW-Platteville jumped out to a 21-4 lead, then used an 11-0 finishing run to beat UW-River Falls 72-61 in a WIAC women's basketball game Wednesday in Williams Fieldhouse.

The Falcons cut the lead to 35-27 by halftime, and briefly went ahead in the second period at 43-42. The game remained close until it was tied at 61-61. Laurie Buechel's three-point basket gave the Pioneers the lead for good at 64-61. The Pioneers then hit 8 of 12 free throws down the stretch for the final margin.

Four Pioneers scored in double figures, with two of them recording double-doubles. Jolene Wessel and Tiff Flesch each scored 14 points, with Wessel grabbing 11 rebounds and Flesch 10. Buechel took scoring honors with 17 points, while Lisa Dietzel added 12 points, 9 of them on three-pointers.

Andrea Long led the Falcons (4-3, 1-2) with 17 points.

The Pioneers (3-4, 1-1) play at UW-Whitewater Saturday at 1 p.m.

Pioneers lose on the road

Mount Mercy rallied late to post a 78-68 women's basketball victory over UW-Platteville Monday night in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Jolene Wessel led the Pioneers (2-4) with 18 points, while Sara Maass totalled 10. Tiff Flesch added 9 points and 8 rebounds.

The Pioneers shot 50 percent in the first half, before the Mustangs (3-7) held them to 36.4 percent in the second period. The hosts also made 20 of 24 from the line, while UWP hit just 14 of 21.

The Pioneers return to action Wednesday at Williams Fieldhouse vs. UW-River Falls in a 7 p.m. contest.

Pioneers win home opener

UW-Platteville made its home debut a success, as the Pioneers defeated Clarke College 86-76 Saturday in a women's basketball game.

The Pioneers (2-3) started well, leading by as many as 17 in the first half and taking a 49-36 halftime lead. The Crusaders (3-3) made a second half run to cut the lead to 65-60. Sara Maass and Jolene Wessel each hit a pair of shots to push the lead back to 13, and Laurie Buechel's basket made the score 75-60 with 5:54 remaining.

Maass, a freshman center, finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Wessel pumped in 16 points and had 5 steals on the defensive end. The Pioneers forced Clarke into 31 turnovers.

The Pioneers play at Mount Mercy Monday night, then return to WIAC games Wednesday with a home contest vs. UW-River Falls.

Titans come back to beat Pioneers

UW-Platteville took a 34-33 halftime lead on the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team, but the host Titans came back to post a 69-57 win Wednesday night.

The Titans (5-1, 1-0) used a 23-6 run to open the second half and increased the margin to as large as 20.

Freshman Tiff Flesch paced Pioneers (1-3, 0-1) with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Laurie Buechel added 11 points.

Muskies top Wessel, Pioneers

Lakeland College overcame a career-high 27 points by UW-Platteville's Jolene Wessel to edge the Pioneers 69-58 Sunday in Sheboygan.

The Muskies improved to 4-0 overall and have won 27 of their last 31 games. The Pioneers fell to 1-2 overall.

Wessel's 27 points beat her single-game high of 24, set last year against both UW-Whitewater and St. Ambrose. Tiff Flesch added 12 points, and Laurie Buechel scored 10.

Because Lakeland College decided not to keep a boxscore for Sunday's game vs. UW-Platteville, complete statistics will not be available until after charting the game off the film.

The Pioneers open WIAC play Wednesday night at UW-Oshkosh at 7 p.m. They make their long-awaited home opener Saturday at 6 p.m. versus Clarke College.

Bees come out on top of wild game

St. Ambrose's Jennifer Carruthers hit a three-point shot at the end of regulation to tie the game, then the host Queen Bees prevailed 92-91 in overtime over the UW-Platteville Tuesday night.

The 183 combined points were the second-highest in UW-Platteville history, just three short of the 186 total points int he Pioneers' 102-84 victory over UW-Stout in 1989. The 91 Pioneer points were the most ever scored in school history in a losing effort.

Laurie Buechel and Allison Rotramel came off the bench to spark UWP with 22 and 17 points, respectively. Jolene Wessel added 20 points, giving her 63 in the last three meetings with St. Ambrose. Buechel just missed getting off a potential game-winning shot when a baseball pass on the out-of-bounds play from the Pioneer end was just off her fingertips underneath the Bees' basket with 2 seconds remaining.

The Pioneers fall to 1-1 with both games decided by one point. St. Ambrose improved to 4-2.

UWP hits the road Sunday for a game with the 2-0 Lakeland College Muskies, who were 23-4 last year and made the NCAA III playoffs.

The Pioneers and the Queen Bees have a rematch of Tuesday's game set for Feb. 7 in Williams Fieldhouse.

Pioneers win thriller

UW-Platteville won a thrilling 57-56 women's basketball game at Coe College Friday, thanks in large part to the play of the freshmen.

Center Sara Maass hit 8 of 12 from the field for 19 points, while Tiff Flesch scored 10 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in their collegiate debuts.

The Pioneers struggled from the field, hitting just 20 of 60 shots, and from the line, making 13 of 26. The UWP defense, however, smothered the hometown Kohawks, holding them to 34 percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers.

Lisa Dietzel came off the bench to score 9 points for Coach Denise Dunbar, who used 12 players.