EAU CLAIRE - In the first of two thrilling games at Zorn Arena tonight, it was the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team defeating UW-Whitewater 67-61.

The Blugolds end the regular season with a 13-12 overall record and an 8-8 conference record. The Blugolds end up with a 9-3 home record. The Warhawks finish with a 12-13 overall record and a 6-10 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) record.

The Blugolds jumped out to a 13-6 lead seven minutes into the ballgame. The Warhawks would come back to tie it up at 17 with 9:39 to go in the first half. Up 29-25 with 5:20 to go in the half, the Blugolds would go on an 8-0 run to extend its lead to 37-25.

The Blugolds would go into halftime with a 41-32 lead. The Blugolds shot 55% from the field in the first half, while the Warhawks shot 48%. The Blugolds forced 15 Whitewater turnovers in the first half that led to 11 Blugold points.

The Warhawks would storm back in the second half as they outscored the Blugolds 17-9 the first 10 minutes of the second half to cut the lead to one. Whitewater would regain the lead, 55-54, for the first time since the beginning of the game with 4:39 to go.

The Warhawks would build their lead to as much as five with 3:39 to go as part of a 10-0 run. With Whitewater up two with 3:27 to go, a Warhawk intentional foul gave the Blugolds new life. Heidi Arciszewski (Fr.-Thorp, WI) stepped up and made the two free-throws and then made a layup to give the Blugolds a 61-59 lead.

Arciszewski would then break a 61-61 tie with 45 seconds left connecting on a jumper. The Blugolds would hang on the rest of the way with help of four Amanda Zenner (So.-Medford, WI) free throws in the final 16 seconds. The Blugolds would go onto win 67-61.

The Blugolds ended up at 40% shooting for the game, while the Warhawks finished at 33%. The Blugolds were 18-of-20 from the free throw line in the game.

Arciszewski led all scorers with 15 points for the Blugolds. Brittanni Hakanson (Fr.-Wheeler, WI/Boyceville) added 14 points and Amanda Zenner had 12 points. Senior Liz Van Drasek (Sr.-Albertville, MN/St. Michael-Albertville) possibly playing her final game at Zorn Arena rounded out the Blugolds in double-figures with 10 points.

Another senior Rachel Becker (Sr.-Gilmanton, WI) led the team in assists with 11 and in rebounds with seven. The Blugolds also saw the return of leading scorer Michelle Burns (So.-Eau Claire, WI/North), who had been out since the first Whitewater game this season with a thumb injury.

Up next the Blugolds will travel to face UW-Stevens Point in the first round of the WIAC Conference Tournament. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday night.

Eau Claire-Whitewater Box Score

- JR -