LEXINGTON, Ky. (
www.blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's basketball team was on the road for the annual Christmas Break trip as they started play in the Gratz Park Private Wealth Holiday Tournament hosted by Transylvania University. The second game of the day saw the Blugolds take down Berea College, 57-54, with a flurry of scoring in the final minutes and a double-double from
Kylie Mogen (Sr. – Menomonie, Wis.)
The opening quarter saw both nonconference teams battle back-and-forth as the two squads swapped the lead five times. A late layup from
Lucia Hauge (Jr. – Hugo, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran Academy) found UWEC with a 10-9 lead in the closing seconds, but Berea College answered with a basket from beyond the arc to take a 12-10 lead into the first intermission. Hauge led Eau Claire in the first ten minutes of play with four of her nine total points.
As the second quarter began, UW-Eau Claire fought back and tied the score at 13-13 on a jump shot from
Kyla Overskei (So. – Maple Grove, Minn.) outside of the paint.
Anna Koth (Jr. – Maple Grove, Minn./Wayzata) capitalized on the next possession with her lone three-pointer of the contest that gave UWEC a 16-13 lead. The Berea College Mountaineers refused to go down lightly as they went on a 7-2 run in the middle of the quarter to regain a two-point lead.
Kylie Strop (Jr. – River Falls, Wis.) answered swiftly for the Blugolds with her first bucket from beyond the arc, a steal, and a fast break layup to give Eau Claire a five-point swing. Both teams battled hard in the final minutes of the first half as the two squads hit halftime tied at 26-26.
Kylie Mogen led both sides with six rebounds at the half and
Kyla Overskei led the Blugolds with seven points.
As the second half began, UW-Eau Claire found themselves with a five-point deficit as the Mountaineers started the third with a 9-4 run. The Blugolds fought back hard with tighter defense and more selective shooting positions.
Kylie Mogen got things started with a put back offensive rebound to cut the Mountaineer lead to 35-32. The following possession,
Olivia Pekron (Jr. – Forest Lake, Minn.) netted a jumper to cut the lead to just one point. After a Berea turnover,
Kylie Strop was fouled as she drove to the basket, sending her to the line. Strop knocked down both free throws as UWEC found the 36-35 lead. In the final minutes of the third quarter, Strop capitalized on a fast break and forced a turnover with her second steal of the night that gave
Anna Koth a fast break layup to increase the Blugold lead to three. Before the final break,
Kylie Mogen recorded a block on a second chance opportunity from Berea to keep the Eau Claire lead at 40-37 heading into the fourth quarter.
The final ten minutes of play would make for an exciting end to the nonconference matchup as the Mountaineers came out of the gate with a 7-3 run. The Blugolds found created opportunities for themselves through transition as
Kylie Strop sent home her second three-pointer of the night, off a Overskei offensive rebound, to give UWEC a two-point lead. Moments later, Overskei broke free and increased the Blugold lead to 48-44 on a fast break assist from Strop.
Kylie Mogen helped keep the Blugolds in front as she solidified her double-double on the following two Eau Claire possessions, recording 10 points and 12 rebounds. The final moments of the game saw both teams hit the free throw line multiple times, but it was Eau Claire making three of their final four free throws to hang on for the 57-54 victory.
The Blugolds (6-4) will conclude their holiday trip on Saturday, December 30
th when they play the host team, #2 ranked Transylvania University. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. EST.
