After its midweek game was cancelled due to the Polar Vortex, the Warhawk women’s basketball team took down UW-Eau Claire by a score of 68-55 at Kachel Gymnasium Feb. 2. Whitewater has not jumped into third place in the WIAC and is on a five-game winning streak.

Senior forward Olivia Freckmann was the high scorer with 15. She also corralled 16 rebounds, and in the process joined the 600 point, 600 rebound club.

Coming into the game, Whitewater was a team that needed to find discipline. The squad has quality road wins over UW-Oshkosh and UW-La Crosse, the two teams above them. However, the Warhawks’ resume also shows losses against middle of the pack teams, like UW-Stout and Eau Claire.

UW-W lost its first meeting on the road to Eau Claire last month in an 85-58 blowout.

“This group came in and was one of the most undisciplined groups I’ve ever coached, and I actually told them that,” said head coach Keri Carollo. “We’re gonna learn how to be more disciplined in everything we do.”

UW-W came out with a dominant defensive performance, and held the lead for most of the game. The Blugolds shot just 35 percent overall.

Wearing pink in support of Play4Kay, the Warhawks had a good combination of inside and outside scoring and showed great discipline in their rebounding. Whitewater shot 40 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from downtown.

Freckmann and sophomore center Johanna Taylor were a big part of that.

“It feels good, because I know I’m helping out my team, helping my team win,” Freckmann said. With Jo [Taylor], with Becky [Raeder], with Sarah [Schumacher], it’s so much fun playing.

Sophomore guard Emily Schumacher got hot from deep, and finished with four made three-pointers on 50 percent shooting. She also put in a tough defensive shift, finishing with a pair of blocks and two steals. She played strong perimeter defense, and provided the playmaking down the stretch.

“We focus a lot on team defense, and not fouling,” junior guard Becky Raeder said. “We know that if we get beat, we have great posts who can block any shot.”

Raeder registered 14 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Camri Conley tallied 12 points and six boards.

Whitewater’s next contest will take place at home against WIAC leader UW-Oshkosh Feb. 4. The Titans stand at 8-1 in conference, while the Warhawks sit two games behind.