The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Women’s Basketball team extended their early season winning streak to four with a win over the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings on Saturday, Dec. 2. The Eagles doubled up on the Vikings winning the game 60-30. UWL is now 5-2 to start off the year, while they handed the Vikings their first loss of the season, who are now sitting at 5-1. 

UWL Junior Delaney Schoenenberger said, “Overall we were all really excited to face an undefeated team and get a chance to make a statement to shut them down.” 

The Eagles also stayed undefeated at home with the win last night.   

“We always want to protect out home court and not let anyone beat us, and honestly I don’t see anything slowing us down. We just keep getting better every day,” stated Schoenenberger.  

The game stayed close during the first quarter, no team was allowed more than a two-point lead with the score settling at 8-6 UWL after the first quarter.  

In the second quarter the Eagles scored the first nine points of the quarter growing their lead to 11 with the score of 17-6. The Vikings scored a total of three points the whole quarter as the Eagles continued to extend their lead.  

At the half way mark of the game the Eagles led 23-9. Bethany Lutheran College shot only 11.5 percent (3-26) while the Eagles were shooting 24.3 percent (9-37) from the field. Schoenenberger led the Eagles with nine points in 14 minutes.  

Schoenenberger did not slow down in the second half, and neither did her team. UWL was able to extend their lead to 33 by the end of the third quarter, going on a 12-0 in the last four minutes of the third quarter to the tune of a 48-15 lead. Schoenenberger added 11 points in the third quarter.  

“We played really good defense and put a lot of pressure on them to not allow them to score. We communicated well, rebounded well, and had each other’s back when we needed to. It was a great team effort,” said Schoenenberger 

The Vikings had their best quarter points wise in the fourth quarter when they netted 15 points. The Eagles’s momentum did not subside, scoring 12 to keep their lead. The Eagles finished off the game with their lead still at 30 points, winning the game 60-30. 

Schoenenberger said, “As a team we really played for each other and our defensive stops definitely helped fuel our offensive game. We just got on a role of stopping them and didn’t let up.” 

The Eagles were able to hold the Vikings to just 15.8 percent (9-57) shooting the whole game, while UWL shot 29.9 percent (23-77), according to uwlathletics.com.  

Schoenenberger led the Eagles in scoring with 22 points along with four rebounds, which sets a new season high for the Eagles.  

“What allowed me to score 22 (points) was a huge team effort. We moved the ball well and everyone looked for each other and I was able to knock it down when I got my chance.” 

The Eagles return to the court on Saturday, Dec. 9 home against University of Dubuque at 3 p.m.