Sports Briefs: Lady Pointers Post a Pair of Double-Digit Wins

Men’s Basketball Falls to Whitewater and River Falls

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s basketball team concluded a stretch of three consecutive games against ranked teams this past week.

After defeating then-12^th ranked UW-Eau Claire at Bennett Court on Jan. 21, the Pointers were edged against UW-Whitewater, 80-74, before losing at home to 5th ranked UW-River Falls, 67-51, on Saturday.

Against Whitewater, the Pointers proved they are capable of giving trouble to any team in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

They fought tooth-and-nail in the opponents’ gym, as junior MJ Delmore led the way for UWSP with 22 points. The Southwest Minnesota State transfer also dished out six assists without turning the ball over, while adding a pair of steals as UWSP trailed by just four at halftime.

The Pointers took a 49-48 lead with 13:11 to go thanks to a Bryce Williams trifecta, but surrendered the lead during a 12-4 run by the Warhawks, giving them a seven-point advantage.

UWSP took back the lead at 62-60 on a three-point play by Williams, but Whitewater responded with another spurt– this time, a 9-0 stretch– which proved to be too much for the Pointer squad.

UWSP returned home to face the fifth-ranked UW-River Falls Falcons on Saturday, but could not find an offensive rhythm as they fell, 67-51, at Bennett Court.

Two weeks prior, the Pointers gave the Falcons all they could handle in the teams’ first meeting. River Falls, who remain unbeaten in the conference, narrowly avoided an upset by UWSP thanks to a last-second shot.

However, the Pointers shot about 33 percent from the field Saturday, as River Falls enjoyed a 35-24 lead at the half. The eleven-point deficit proved to be too much for the Pointers to overcome, as the home team shot an uncharacteristic 18 percent from beyond the arc in a second half which saw their opponents lead by as much as 26.

Ethan Bublitz led the Pointers with 11 points, while Bryce Williams finished with nine points on a trio of threes, and Delmore tallied seven points and three steals. Zach Goedeke finished with five points and eight rebounds for the Pointers, who dropped a spot to sixth in the WIAC.

UWSP looks to get back in the win column Feb. 1, when they travel to face UW-Oshkosh.

 

Lady Pointers Post a Pair of Double-Digit Wins

The UWSP women’s basketball team responded to a two-game slide with two strong performances in a 70-57 win against 17th ranked UW-Whitewater, followed by a rousing 67-46 victory at UW-River Falls.

UWSP defeated its first ranked opponent of the season in its victory over Whitewater, as they held the Warhawks to their second-lowest point total of the season.

The Pointers led 26-22 at halftime but opened the game up in the third quarter, scoring as many points in the third stanza as they had in the entire first half and led 52-39 entering the fourth.

The trio of Autumn Hennes, Lauren Anklam, and Taylor Barrett combined for 48 points on 18-31 shooting from the field.

Barrett scored her points in just 19 minutes of play in an exhibition of efficiency, while Anklam hit seven of nine shots from the free throw line, in addition to five rebounds and three assists. Hennes corralled nine boards for the lady Pointers, who improved to 7-1 at home on the year.

The win also marked Whitewater’s first conference loss of the season.

UWSP took their momentum from the Whitewater game to River Falls on Saturday, as the Pointers drubbed the Falcons 67-46. A Hennes three-pointer gave UWSP a 5-4 lead just 1:51 into the game and the Pointers never trailed again.

UWSP, led by Hennes’ 17 points and seven rebounds, shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, while stifling the Falcons into 29 percent.

The Pointers’ defense was on full display in the second quarter, in which they outscored the Falcons 19-4 taking a 36-16 lead into the halftime intermission.

Taylor Douglas scored 10 points to go with three boards, as well as one steal and block apiece. Taylor Barrett added a dozen points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists for the Pointers.

Now in sole possession of third place in the WIAC standings, the Pointers season continues with a home date against UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 1.

 

UWSP Swimming and Diving Split Dual at UW-La Crosse

In a dual meet at UW-La Crosse, UWSP swimming and diving team improved to 4-0 on the season in a strong performance. The men’s side dazzled en route to a score of 161.5, with the women coming in second with 55.

Owen Gluck showed why he was named the WIAC Diver of the Week, as he registered a winning score of 290.65 in the three-meter diving event. Gluck also finished second in the one-meter, with a 261.55 score.

Additionally, Jack Englehardt won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.91 seconds. Englehardt also contributed to first and second place finishes, respectively, by UWSP in the 400-yard medley and the 400-yard freestyle.

On the women’s side, Jackie Braun took home a second-place finish in the one-meter dive, with a total of 264.95. Braun also placed third in the three-meter dive, scoring 256.55 in the event.

Next up for UWSP is the University of Minnesota meet on Feb. 2 and 3.

 

UWSP Men’s, Women’s Track Teams Deliver Second Place Finishes

The UWSP women’s track team placed second out of ten teams during Saturday’s UW-Whitewater Classic. The Pointers finished only behind UW-Whitewater, who held serve in its home territory.

Bailey Wolf won the 3000-meter run for UWSP with 10:45.03, as she outdid her seeded time by ten seconds in the victory. Kara Hoier finished fourth in the event for the Pointers, clocking in at 10:49.77.

Strong performances continued for UWSP in a plethora of events. Pointers rounded out the top three of the pentathlon, as Sylviann Momont, Alexia Beecher and Briana Simonis separated themselves from the rest of the competition.

Kathy Durks placed third in the 800-meter run with 2:19.04, while Pointer teammate Emily Schlebecker finished fifth.

The team of Hannah Mertens, Leah Trempe, Sarah Vlis and Makani Peters won the 4×400-meter relay by way of a 4:01.25 time. They also, in aforementioned order finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the 400-meter dash.

On the men’s side, Jerry Williams set a new personal record on his way to winning the 60-meter dash. Williams, who also finished second in both the long and triple jump events, clocked in at 6.84 seconds.

Christian Ferguson and Lukas Johnson also finished first in the high jump and 5000-meter run, respectively.

The Pointer men also registered numerous third-place finishes: Matt Sosinsky in the 400-meter dash, Logan Heil in the weight throw, Jeremy Lee in the heptathlon and Brent Reierson in the shot.

The collective efforts of the team landed them with a score of 17.5 just shy of first-place UW-Whitewater, but UWSP looks to take this momentum to the Pointer Invite, which starts at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 4 on campus at the Multi-Activity Center.

 

Women’s Hockey Wins Back to Back

UWSP women’s hockey is back to its winning ways, as the team tallied a pair of home wins over Marian University and UW-Eau Claire, respectively, to move to 11-7-2 on the year.

The Pointers were sparked by a three-goal third period to blow away Marian in the shutout.

Ali Biagini commenced the scoring for UWSP in the first period, followed by Logan Harper’s unassisted goal 3:23 into the third. Cara Lemirande then lit the lamp twice in a six-minute span to give the Pointers their eventual margin of victory.

The Pointers received much more of a challenge from Eau Claire a few days later.

After falling behind 1-0 just over halfway through the first period, goalie Sydney Conley wouldn’t give up another point the rest of the night.

With 4:22 remaining in the opening period, freshman Allison Karrmann tied the game as she scored her first career goal for the Pointers.

Lemirande again scored the final point for UWSP, this time with 3:45 to go in the second period, thanks to an Ellie Punnett assist.

The Pointers held on to the slim lead throughout the third period, despite the Blugolds pulling their goalie late in a last-ditch effort to tie the game.

UWSP will be back on the ice Feb. 3 to take on the Blugolds again at Ice Hawks Arena, before traveling to Eau Claire on Feb. 4 to finish a three-game series between the teams. Both games are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. starts.

 

Chris Watkins

Sports Editor

Chris.D.Watkins@uwsp.edu