Second-Half Surge Spoils Saturday For CUW

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The CUW women's basketball team returned to action Saturday evening in Illinois as they traveled to North Central to take on the Cardinals. The Red and White defended the nest with an 81-73 victory to send the Falcons to 1-3 on the young season.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead on Saturday night with a jump shot to take a 6-2 lead. The Falcons responded back with a 7-2 run capped off with a layup from senior Lindsey Smitsdorff (Coon Rapids, Minn.) to give the Falcons the lead with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter.

A three-point basket from senior Aubrey Buchholtz (Seymour, Wis.) gave the Falcons the lead at 17-14, and a basket from senior Reagan Obry (Neenah, Wis.) extended the lead to 19-14 late in the quarter. The Cardinals cut into the Concordia lead with a 4-0 run in the final 19 seconds of the first quarter to give the Falcons a 19-18 lead going into the second quarter.

After a pair of NCC free throws to start the second quarter, CUW responded with a 7-0 run to take its biggest lead of the night at six points. The Blue and White ballooned the lead up to six points on three occasions in the second quarter with baskets from Reagan Obry, senior Emily Hafemann (Hales Corners, Wis.) and Aubrey Buchholtz.

The Cardinals clawed back and tied the game at 35 points with a transition three-point basket with 3:53 remaining in the half. The Falcons pushed back with a three-point splash from Reagan Obry.

The Falcons took the lead back before halftime with a pair of free throws from Lindsey Smitsdorff and a three-point basket from sophomore Lindsey Lonigro (Deerfield, Wis.) with six seconds left in the quarter to take a 45-41 lead into halftime.

Emily Hafemann and Aubrey Buchholtz led the quarter with eight and seven points respectively.

The Red and White came out hot after halftime and used a 7-0 run to start the frame and take back the lead.

The Falcons took back the lead at the 2:21 mark of the third quarter with a three-point basket from junior Lily Guerra (Yorkville, Ill.) to give CUW a 56-53 lead. North Central then used a 5-0 run in the quarter's final minute to take a 60-56 lead into the fourth quarter.

A three-point shot from the Cardinals created a seven-point lead for the red birds, but CUW continued to fight, and trimmed the deficit to 65-64, with a three-point basket from freshman Ava Booth (Plymouth, Wis.).

Momentum swung back the way to the Cardinals and a 10-2 run gave North Central a 75-66 lead with 3:52 left in the game. The Falcons trimmed the deficit to five points, but that would be the closest they could get on Saturday night.

Emily Hafemann led all players on Saturday with 24 points and four assists. She and Aubrey Buchholtz also led CUW with six rebounds.

With her 24 points, Emily Hafemann is now only 39 points away from 1000 in her career.

The Falcons held a 26-18 advantage in points in the paint against the Cardinals.

The Blue and White look to bounce back on Wednesday in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play at Wisconsin Lutheran.