Coming into Wednesday night's home game with UW-Eau Claire, Coach Don Mulhern and the UW-Superior women's basketball team fully realized the sizable effort it would take to down the Blugolds.

After all, UW-Eau Claire entered the game not only ranked #14 in the latest D3hoops.com poll, the Blugolds had suffered only one loss in conference play.

Yet through 35 minutes of action at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium, the Yellowjackets appeared poised to hand UW-Eau Claire their second defeat in league action.

The Blugolds took command down the stretch however, limiting UW-Superior to just six points in the final 5:58 on the way to edging the Yellowjackets 61-56.

Having already dropped their first meeting with the Blugolds this season, the Yellowjackets (9-9 overall, 3-7 WIAC) started strong in the opening half, taking an early 9-6 lead following an offensive rebound and basket from Carly Chell (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) with 13:15 left in the first 20 minutes.

The game remained close throughout the rest of the half with neither side able to gain much of an advantage.

UW-Superior finally gained a bit of breathing room late in the half, going on a 12-3 run in the final 4:10 to take a seven point lead into the intermission.  Bri Davis (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) started the run with a three-pointer before another three by Connie Urmanski (Edgar, Wis./Edgar), a layup from Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis./Valders) and a basket from Davis in the final seconds gave the Yellowjackets a 34-27 cushion.

The Yellowjackets continued to maintain the edge through the first 1:30 of the second half, taking a 36-29 lead on a layup by Davis with 18:26 left in regulation.

UW-Eau Claire (16-3, 9-1) steadily rallied however, finally evening matters at 43-43 on a layup by Sarah Bingea with 10:29 showing on the clock.

The Yellowjackets retook a 45-43 lead moments later on two free throws from Hailey Hart (Osseo, Wis./Osseo-Fairchild) with 9:06 left and the two teams would trade scores over the next 3:12, resulting in a 50-50 draw at the 5:54 mark of the second half.

But the Blugolds took the lead for good at 52-50 on a layup by Callie Halama with 5:18 remaining. 

UW-Superior cut the lead to 52-51 on a free throw by Deandra Vavra (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) at 4:36. 

UW-Eau Claire outscored the Yellowjackets 8-2 over the next 4:16 however to take a 60-53 lead on a free throw by Halama with just 18 seconds left in the second half.

The Yellowjackets were led by Davis with 17 points while Linzmeier added 14 points.  Urmanski finished with 10 points for UW-Superior as well.

UW-Eau Claire was led by Halama and Bingea, who each had a game-high 18 points.  Ellen Plendl added 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Blugolds.

Milestone Update: Hart needs nine points to jump into seventh on the all-time scoring list and 28 points to reach 1,000 in her career.  Hart is ten rebounds from passing Stephanie Janigo for sixth on the all-time list.  Davis jumped into 13th place on the all-time scoring list.  Next up for her is Lindsey Anderson, who is 34 points away.  Davis also climbed a spot on the all-time rebounding list, where she now sits 11th with 474.  She is 22 rebounds from cracking the top ten.  Urmanski jumped into ninth on the all-time assist list with 173.  She also is just 21 points away from cracking the top-15 on the all-time scoring chart.

UW-Superior will host UW-Stevens Point on Saturday.  Opening tipoff is at 3 p.m.