Beavers Have Four Score in Double Figures in Loss to #9 UW-Whitewater

Sophomore Laura Hilby turns in career-high 12 points against #9 UW-Whitewater.

Four players scored in double figures for the Buena Vista women's basketball team, led by 19 points from senior Margo Muhlbauer (Manilla, Iowa/IKM), but it wasn't quite enough as the Beavers were topped 83-68 against #9 UW-Whitewater (3-0) on Friday evening in the opening game of the Simpson College Classic.

The Warhawks built an early 7-0 lead and maintained that lead until the Beavers slowly clawed their way back to take their first lead at 23-21 on a layup from senior Aubrey Hauswirth (Havelock, Iowa/Pocahontas Area) with 11:24 to play in the first half.  UW-Whitewater, however, responded with a 7-0 run of its own to go back up seven six minutes later and maintained that lead, while taking a 41-36 into halftime.

The Warhawks upped the lead to 10 two minutes into the second half and held that same margin (55-45) with 14 minutes to play.  After a pair of free-throws from Muhlbauer, who connected on all six of her attempts in the contest, pulled the Beavers back to within eight, UW-Whitewater used a key 7-0 run over the next three minutes to build a 15-point advantage.

The Beavers, however, weren't about to go away as a bucket from sophomore Laura Hilby (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) with 8:41 left pulled BVU back to within seven (62-55) and the team was still within striking distance at 69-61 as late as the seven-minute mark.

Heidi Sonntag, who turned in a game-high 20 for the Warhawks, then nailed a jumper to help spark a 14-4 run to close the game and secure the 15-point victory.

Hilby finished the contest with a career-high 12 points, on 4-of-7 shooting.  Junior Jahde Hammer (Alta, Iowa/Alta) also tallied 12 points, including a pair of long-range treys, while Hauswirth chipped in with 10.  Junior Jocelyn Kock (Arcadia, Iowa/Ar-We-Va) was strong on the boards for the Beavers, hauling in a game and career-high 12.

BVU finished the contest shooting 36.7 percent, while sinking 20-of-25 free-throw attempts.

The team is now 3-2 overall on the year and will wrap up the Classic on Saturday afternoon with a 1:30 p.m. tip-off against Nebraska Wesleyan.

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