WAUKESHA, Wis. - Alyssa Cruz thrived under the pressure.
Cruz, a 5-foot-5 freshman guard from West Allis, Wis., scored seven of her team-high 13 points in the fourth quarter to help lead the Carroll University women's basketball team to a convincing 53-44 victory over Ripon College in a hard-fought, physical nonconference game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
It was the first home-court victory of the season for Carroll, which improved to 2-3 overall following the matchup between former Midwest Conference rivals.
The Pioneers trailed 41-40 with 6:39 remaining but responded with what proved to be a decisive 8-0 run over a two-minute stretch.
Cruz ignited the key run by making a pressure-packed wide-open jump shot from the right, top portion of the perimeter to regain a 42-41 lead with 5:08 left.
"Coming into the second half, we were up and really attempted to maintain the intensity in order to avoid any type of letdown," said Cruz, who also converted 6 of 8 free throws and finished with three rebounds, three assists and two steals in playing 30 minutes. "Even though Ripon scored a few points to regain the lead in the fourth quarter, we decided that they weren't going to outwork us and just played our game. That's when everything started to come together.
"With it being a close game, there was some pressure to get a bucket on every possession down the stretch so it was just a matter of keeping everyone involved and making the most of each opportunity. When it would get a little rocky at times, we did our best to make the shots and work through the situation. It was just a great feeling to be able make a few big ones, build some momentum and come away with our first home-court victory of the season."
Carroll outscored the Red Hawks 15-9 in the fourth quarter.
The Pioneers showcased their depth and balance with eight players reaching the scoring column, including three in double figures.
Freshman center Celina Schwantes (Pewaukee, Wis.) followed with 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals for Carroll, which made 19 of 29 free throws, two baskets from 3-point range and shot 32 percent from field-goal range.
Sophomore guard Emily Majerus (Plymouth, Wis.) contributed 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Pioneers, who forced 25 turnovers. Sophomore guards Mallory Olszak (Crete, Ill.) and Sierra Grubor (Milwaukee, Wis.) each had five points.
Sophomore forward Delaney Sjong (Salem, Wis), sophomore center Katie Rossetti (Wauconda, Ill.) and freshman forward Kayla Stefka (Johnsburg, Ill.) each added three points.
Carroll third-year head coach Lindsay Schultz was encouraged by how her young team bounced back from a difficult loss in its home opener Wednesday night and responded with a determined, confidence-building victory.
"Our players really committed themselves at the defensive end by playing with a lot of intensity and creating opportunities to score in transition," said Schultz, praising her squad's relentless effort to help offset Ripon's tall presence in the post. "Coming off a disappointing loss, I was really pleased with the way we came back from that experience and competed with energy. As that gradually happened, we were able to apply a lot of pressure to disrupt their rhythm and take them out of their game plan. Today, our athleticism and talent set the tone for that success.
"Ripon is a very good team so I was pleased with how we reacted when they came at us. We not only stopped the bleeding by making some big stops but then backed it up by maintaining our focus and balance the rest of the way. It was really exciting to be able to step up to a difficult challenge, show our maturity and take advantage with our depth. This victory will only continue to validate what we have been preaching all along and help in our progression. To be able to finish the day by earning our first home-court victory of the season only added to the moment. We just need to keep believing in ourselves and continue to trust in the philosophies of the system as we move forward."
Six-foot- 2 senior center Maggie Oimoen registered a double-double by finishing with a game-high 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots for Midwest Conference contender Ripon, which dropped to 0-5 overall. Sophomore forward Natalie Geiger had 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot for the Red Hawks, who made only just one 3-pointer, 7 of 12 free throws and shot 33.3 percent from the field.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University women's basketball team to a 53-44 victory over Ripon College in a hard-fought, physical nonconference game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Scoring Leaders: Alyssa Cruz (13 points), Celina Schwantes (11 points), Emily Majerus (10 points), Mallory Olszak (5 points), Sierra Grubor (5 points)
Notable: The Pioneers trailed 41-40 with 6:39 remaining but responded with what proved to be a decisive 8-0 run over a two-minute stretch.