WAUKESHA, Wis. - Senior guard Brittney Wald (Antigo, Wis.) contributed 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Carroll University women's basketball team defeated Millikin University 73-67 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
It was the home-court finale for Carroll, which celebrated Senior Day by improving to 5-10 in the conference standings and 8-16 overall.
The Pioneers trailed 39-36 at intermission but showcased their resilience by outscoring Millikin 37-28 in the second half - including a decisive 25-18 margin in the third quarter.
Wald, the lone senior on the roster who currently has 969 career points with one game remaining, had 10 points in the momentum-building first half - fittingly scoring the first basket of the game with her signature mid-range jumper.
"It was an amazing experience," said a smiling Wald, who was honored during a special pre-game ceremony at mid-court. "Looking back, it was sad to think that it was my last home game so then to come out of it with such a tough, emotional victory made it very special. It meant a lot and I'm sure there will be a few tears shed later when thinking about the day. It's something I will always remember."
Wald nailed a pressure-packed, momentum-shifting 3-pointer from the top of the key to regain a 56-53 lead with 1:41 left in the third quarter.
Millikin trimmed the deficit to two points twice in the fourth quarter but couldn't get any closer.
"Millikin came out ready to go, wanted to honor their coach (referring to head coach Lori Kerans who will be retiring after 32 seasons at the helm) and spoil Senior Day," Wald added. "Knowing that, we were ready for the challenge, matched their intensity and fought hard each step of the way. It was one of the most exciting things to see the younger players step up, find their groove and work so hard for the victory. As a senior, they may have looked up to me but I truly learned a lot from each one of them. It was the best team I have ever played on. I will never be able to recreate the experience of playing college basketball so its truly been a joy representing Carroll the last four years."
Freshman point guard Emily Majerus (Plymouth, Wis.) scored a team-high 18 points with two baskets from 3-point range, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in playing 30 minutes for Carroll, which made four 3-pointers, 15 of 19 free throws and shot 45.8 percent from field-goal range.
Majerus was a force during the third-quarter scoring surge, responding with seven consecutive points to erase a seven-point deficit and tie the game 51-51 with 3:13 left.
"It was a complete team effort today," said Majerus, who ignited the comeback with a 3-pointer from the right side of the perimeter to trim the deficit to 51-47 with 4:12 remaining. "When we were down at halftime, I really liked the way we came back strong, played hard and showed our perseverance. During the the third quarter, my teammates did a great job of feeding me the ball so I just tried to push it hard down court on every possession and take advantage of the opportunities. Everyone played for one another out there and contributed from beginning to end. I'm very proud of how far we've come this season so we just want to finish the season out on a good note.
"Being Senior Day, it was awesome to get this victory for Wald. We love playing with her and were motivated to get the job done. It was special to see it happen."
Freshman forward Katie Rossetti (Wauconda, Ill.) followed with 12 points and two blocked shots for the Pioneers, who scored 36 points in the paint.
Rossetti, who had 10 points in the first half, currently ranks fifth in program history for blocks in a single season with 51.
Junior forward Rachel Van Sluys (Sheboygan, Wis.) had 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Freshman small forward Delaney Sjong (Salem, Wis.) added eight points, a team-best seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a blocked shot.
"I was very proud of the way Brittney came out with such confidence and poise to set the tone," Carroll second-year head coach Lindsay Schultz said. "Not only did she hit some early shots to get us going but then responded at the defensive end throughout the day by limiting their best player (senior guard Devin Curry). "That energy ultimately carried over to the rest of the team, we played with great composure in the second half and finished it off on a strong note. Even though we're still young and only have one special senior, we answered the challenge and played like a veteran team today."
Curry scored a game-high 19 points with four 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists for Millikin, which dropped to 2-13 in conference and 7-17 overall. Senior guard/forward Emily Schultz and junior guard/forward Yanni Saddler each had 15 points for the Big Blue, who made four 3-pointers, 15 of 19 free throws and shot 38.7 from the field.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University women's basketball team defeated Millikin University 73-67 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Record: 5-10 in conference and 8-16 overall
Scoring Leaders: Emily Majerus (18 points), Brittney Wald (17 points) Katie Rossetti (12 points), Rachel Van Sluys (11 points), Delaney Sjong (8 points)
Rebound Leaders: Sjong (7), Anna Menges (6), Wald (5), Van Sluys (4), Majerus (3)
Notable: The Pioneers trailed 39-36 at intermission but showcased their resilience by outscoring Millikin 37-28 in the second half - including a decisive 25-18 margin in the third quarter to clinch a Senior Day victory in honor of Brittney Wald.