Eagles Top V-Hawks at Home

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team fell at home to NCAA DII opponent University of Northwestern (Minn.), 62-54 on Thursday night. The V-Hawks fall to 2-5 on the year, while the Eagles improve to 4-1.

Ellie Hoesley hit her first three of the night at 7:14 to tie the game at 5-5, and Lauryn Goettl tracked down her own miss for a putback at 4:24 to tie the game again at 9-9. Neither team scored for almost three minutes, but the Eagles hit a three, and Hoesley hit a jumper to close the period, 12-11.

Goettl started the second with a three assisted by Emily Bohn, but UNW responded with eight straight points. Bohn ended the run, and after the Eagles extended the lead to 24-16, both teams faced another three minute scoring drought. Macy Stellner got Viterbo back on the board, and Hoesley's three brought the score to 21-30 going into halftime.

Megan Miedema recorded the first points for the V-Hawks in the third, while Hoesley and Perala Teko-Folly each hit threes. However, the Eagles defense stepped up as VU did not score for the final 4:26 and UNW went on a 8-0 run.

Madison Hugdahl's hit a pair of free throws to start the fourth, bringing the score to 36-50, and immediately followed those up by converting an and-one. Miedema hit a three to make it a 10-point game, and while Gina Stefferud would also hit one, it wouldn't get down to single digits until Emma Wagner's triple with :40 seconds left made it 54-61. The V-Hawks were not able to get any closer, and UNW hit a free throw to end the game, 62-54.

Hoesley led the V-Hawks with 11 points, while Goettl had five with eight rebounds, and Emma Wagner had three assists. Jasmine Sondrol led all players with 16 points for the Eagles, and Lexi Hagen grabbed 13 boards.

UNW outshot VU from the floor, 36.5% - 27.3%, but Viterbo grabbed more rebounds, 49-44.

Viterbo returns to action on Friday, December 8 as they host Haskell Indian Nations University.