INDIANOLA, Iowa - Although the game started out slow, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team turned on the pressure when it counted to take a 61-52 victory over Carleton College (Minn.) in the first round the of the 2008 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championships at Simpson College (Iowa) this evening.

Eau Claire has now won five of its last six games and has an overall record of 23-6. Carleton ends its season with a 19-10 record. The Blugolds also defeated the Carleton Knights earlier this season and are now 3-0 against the Knights all-time.

The Knights were the first to score in a game that featured five lead changes and four ties. After almost four minutes of play, the teams found themselves at a stalemate, tied at four. Carleton then got up by nine over the Blugolds before Eau Claire fought back to tie the game once again. Eau Claire then went up by three on a Rachel Mueggenborg (Sr.-West Salem, Wis.) three-pointer but the Knights and Blugolds would once again find themselves tied midway thought the first period. Carleton would then led almost the rest of the first half, but the Blugolds fought back with just over a minute remaining, going on a 9-0 run to take a four-point lead into the half. Eau Claire would never trail the rest of the way.

Coming out in the second period, the Blugolds continued their run and scored six more points before Carleton could answer. The Knights were able close to within three points once in the second, but the Blugolds then scored five straight to push the lead back to eight with just under four minutes remaining. Eau Claire got back up by 10 once more with just under one minute remaining.

Both teams played fairly even the entire night. Both recorded 34 rebounds, eight offensive and 24 defensive, and each team had 18 points from players off the bench. Carleton committed 13 turnovers, while the Blugolds had 10, and Eau Claire had seven steals while the Knights stole five. The Blugolds did outshoot the Knights, however, shooting 40.4 percent to the Knights' 32 percent from the field. Eau Claire only missed one free throw tonight, going 10-for-11.

Michelle Burns (Sr.-Eau Claire, Wis./North) led the Blugolds in scoring with 17. Hannah Mesick (Fr.-Chatfield, Minn.) added 13 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Heidi Arciszewski (Jr.-Thorp, Wis.) was also in double-figures tonight, accumulating 11 points. Senior Amanda Zenner (Medford, Wis.) also had a career-tying, game-high six assists. Heather Witt (Jr.-Kendall, Wis./Royall) also had a game-high four steals.

The Knights were led by Annie Isler, who scored 17. Ally Weaver also reached double-digits with 10. Hannah Oken-Berg led the game with eight rebounds.

The Blugolds will now face Simpson College at 7 p.m. Saturday in the second reound game. Simpson College defeated Gustavus Adolphus 73-64 in the other first round game Friday night.

Eau Claire-Carleton Box Score

- KM -