WAUKESHA, Wis. - The rebuilding process can often be a slow, monotonous one filled with many frustrating lessons that test the psyche of a young team.
The Carroll University women's basketball team learned that once again as it lost to high-powered Illinois Wesleyan University 92-56 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth consecutive conference loss to an upper-tier team for Carroll, which dropped to 1-7 in the league standings and 1-15 overall.
Illinois Wesleyan, which has won six of its last seven games, moved into a three-way tie for second place with a 6-2 record (with Elmhurst and Augustana) and improved to 11-6 overall.
As the game remained tied 21-21 at the end of the opening quarter, the Pioneers fell victim to what proved to be a decisive 29-4 second-quarter run.
Despite the home-court setback, short-handed Carroll (which competed with seven players on the active roster) maintained a positive mindset walking off the floor and continued its journey forward.
Junior point guard Brittney Wald (Antigo, Wis.) perfectly epitomized the team's positive approach by finishing with a game-high 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals for Carroll, which converted all 10 of its free throws and shot 37.9 percent from field-goal range
Wald had eight points in the fourth quarter for the Pioneers, exiting the game with 1:08 remaining to an enthusiastic applause from the appreciative crowd.
"Coming into the game, we were focused on playing together, fighting for one another and just trying to compete up to our potential," said Wald, who had 14 points in the second half. "We played our best basketball of the season in the first quarter so it was exciting to see it happen. The mental and physical fatigue just caught up with us in the second quarter. 
"Illinois Wesleyan is a very good team so I was very proud of how we competed. The score might not show it but we won a lot of battles and learned a lot from the experience. We're on a two-year journey and took a lot of positive things away from this effort. It will only help in our progression."
Junior forward Morgan Lund (Mondovi, Wis.) contributed 12 points and eight rebounds for Carroll, which committed a costly 25 turnovers. Freshman guard Caylee Koker (Kenosha, Wis.) had nine points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
For Carroll first-year head coach Lindsay Schultz, it was exciting to see her team show flashes of its potential in the energized first-quarter.
"Coming off of a disappointing loss Wednesday night, we really wanted to start strong and show everyone what we're all about," Schultz said. "I was really happy with our performance in the first quarter and how we played up to our potential (noting the execution of the press and half-court defense). Throughout the season, we've continued to fight to get better and have grown as a team. 
"Today, we continued to do that but wore down in the second quarter with the limited amount of healthy players. That's when the fatigue started to become a factor and things started to slip away. We've clearly shown that we have the talent capable of competing in the CCIW but the lack of depth has hurt. That's what led to the downfall. We've battled through a lot of adversity this season so we intend to use it as another good lesson."
Senior guard Amanda Kelly scored 16 points for Illinois Wesleyan, who made six 3-pointers, 10 of 12 free throws and shot 49.4 percent from the field. Junior guard Rebekah Ehresman and sophomore center Maddie Merritt each added 12 points for the Titans, who showcased their depth with 13 players reaching the scoring column.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University women's basketball team lost to third-place Illinois Wesleyan 92-56 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game Saturday afternoon.
Scoring Leaders: Brittney Wald (23 points), Morgan Lund (12 points), Caylee Koker (9 points), Sara Hartl (6 points)
Rebound Leaders: Lund (8), Wald (6), Koker (6), Hartl (3)
Notable: The game was tied 21-21 after the opening quarter but the Pioneers gave up a decisive 29-4 run in the second quarter.