MILWAUKEE – The Yellowjacket women's basketball team should be getting travel miles for the first couple weeks of the 2023-24 season.
 
Last weekend the Yellowjackets traveled to Chicago to take part in the Midway Classic, logging about eight hours on the bus each way. Friday they were in Appleton, Wis., a shorter trip than the week prior, but still over five hours from UW-Superior. Saturday, the 'Jackets closed out the road trip, taking on Alverno, as they continued their non-conference play on the road.
 
Both teams had a slow start Saturday, but the Yellowjackets found their stride in the second quarter, pulling away to defeat Alverno 72-23 at Reiman Gymnasium.
 
Despite the slow start, the Yellowjackets (2-2, 0-0 UMAC) never trailed in the contest. They scored the first six points of the game and didn't allow Alverno to get on the board until the first quarter was more than half over. It was a hot-shooting second quarter, however, one where UWS shot 57.1 percent from the field, that gave them the lead that was too much to overcome.
 
Leading 14-8 after one, the Yellowjackets opened the second quarter with a 15-2 run to blow the game open.

Charlotte Ferstl (Plain, Wis./River Valley) got the second quarter scoring started, making a layup. Chloe Peterson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) was then fouled while attempting a three, and she proceeded to make all three free throws. On the ensuing possession Ferstl made another layup, and the 'Jackets put seven on the board in the frame's opening minute.
 
The stifling Yellowjacket defense kept Alverno at bay, and Hannah Hause (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) and Elsa Olson (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) made buckets midway through the quarter to extend the Yellowjacket lead. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way and the 'Jackets took a 36-15 lead into the locker room.
 
UWS picked up right where it left off to start the third quarter, opening the second half on a 15-2 run over the first five minutes of play. The 'Jackets were almost as good shooting in the third quarter as they were in the second, at one time hitting shots at a 57.9 percent clip. But a cold spell late in the frame dropped the percentage down to 47.8 percent. Still, at the horn the 'Jackets held a 42-point lead, 61-19.
 
From there the Yellowjackets put it on cruise control in the fourth quarter, trading buckets with Alverno to close out their second win of the season.

The blowout victory allowed Yellowjacket head coach Emily Carpenter to go deep into her bench, with 16 players appearing in the game and 13 different players registering at least one point.
 
Ferstl led the Yellowjackets offensively, scoring a game-high 16 points in just 15 minutes of action. MyKenzie Lecchia added 10 points, while Olson scored nine points off the bench and playing a team-high 22 minutes for the Yellowjackets. Ferstl and Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) led the Yellowjackets with five rebounds each, as the 'Jackets dominated on the boards, outrebounding Alverno 53-28.
 
Next up for the Yellowjackets is their 2023-24 home debut, as they will host UW-Stout Tuesday, Nov. 21. The opening tip is set for 5:30 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.