By Daniel Schoettler
Sports Correspondent
Reilly Stewart, Malia Smith, and Andrea Meinert helped the Warhawks get to a 7-0 start to the season this week. Stewart posted a career high 21 points in the 79-73 win on Saturday over Coe College.
UW-Whitewater got out to a 13-5 run in the first quarter after an Olivia Freckmann jumper. After Coe College cut it to three on an Aleena Hobbs layup, the Warhawks and Kohawks went back and forth to end the first quarter with the Warhawks getting a three-point lead thanks to a Smith layup.
The Warhawks built their first quarter lead up to eight after a layup from Whitewater’s own Brooke Trewyn. They later built the lead up to 13 after a layup from Stewart with 3:10 remaining in the half.
The Kohawks continued to cut into the Warhawks lead as Jenna Lehman cut it to four at 38-34 after a layup. Lehman later tied it after a steal and a layup to make it 48-48 with 1:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Coe College’s Aleena Hobbs and Warhawks’ guard Malia Smith hit both free throws late in the third to tie the game at 50. The Kohawks grabbed the 52-50 lead to take the lead at the end of third quarter.
The lead changed hands in the beginning parts of the fourth quarter as well but the Warhawks took control late in the game as Stewart hit a three pointer and free throws to give the Warhawks the win 79-73.
The Warhawks were led in scoring with Stewart’s career high 21 points, while junior guard Smith had 19. Meinert posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Trewyn posted 10 points.
Coe College was led in scoring by Lehman with 22 points. Hobbs had 16 in the loss, while Mickey Hansche contributed 12.
In the win, the Warhawks shot 40.3 percent from the field while only making five three-pointers, and shot 76.9 percent from the charity stripe. Coe College shot 45.6 percent from the field, while shooting 42.3 percent from the three-point range and shot 10 for 14 from the line.
With the win, the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team improves to 7-0 on the early season. They played Carroll College at home Tuesday and will travel to Illinois Dec. 20 to face Augustana College.
