Waukesha, Wis. – The Carroll University women's basketball team led by as much as 17 points in the 75-65 victory over the Elmhurst University Bluejays on Thursday night in Van Male Field House. Freshman Marissa Murray recorded a 11-point, 11 rebound game in her first career double-double through 23 minutes of action. Katie Evans scored a team-high 14 points in her first start of the season.
 
The Pioneers are off to their best start since 2014-15 with their 4-1 start to the season. The women held the edge shooting from the paint tonight with 30 points inside. 28 bench points compared to only 19 from the Bluejays made the difference for the Pioneers who were out without leading scorer Elizabeth Behrndt. Foul trouble for Elmhurst sent Carroll to the line 17 times, where 14 points came away from the fouls. Theresa Wichser (6pts, 2 ast) climbed up to the second spot all-time in three-point baskets made with her second three of the game tonight, only needing 22 more to become the new record holder.
 
Kayla Stefka (13 pts, 5-5 FT) started the game for the Pios with a quick layup. The Bluejays shot hot in the first quarter, jumping out to a 10-2 run up until the 4:20 mark of the game when Murray scored her first bucket of the game with a pull-up jumper. Katie Rohner (13 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl) gave the Pioneers the lead with a three-pointer off an Elmhurst turnover with 1:13 left in the first quarter. Brooke Foster (9 pts) sank a three of her own to take a four-point lead into the second quarter. Continuing from the first quarter, the Pioneers created a 16-0 run fueled by baskets from Rohner, Evans, and Murray. Rohner free-throws brought the lead up to 15 with :24 seconds remaining in the first half. The Pios held the Bluejays to only six second quarter points on 3-16 shooting.
 
Wichser hit her second three of the game with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter to keep the Pioneers up 14 after an Elmhurst score. Murray brought up the game-high lead of 17 with a layup, her eight point of the game. Elmhurst's hot shooting came alive once again, finding a way to cut the lead down to five points at the end of the third, making 9 field goals on 20 attempts (45%). The Pios responded right away with four quick points from Evans and a layup from Stefka in a 6-2 start to the second quarter. Kate Christian (5 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) brought the lead to double digits with a three from the top of the key. Stefka scored seven straight points for the women in two minutes to keep the lead high for the Pios, including a three-point play off an and-one. Free-throws iced the game for the Pioneers in the final minute of the game, despite the barrage of buckets by the Bluejays trying to keep it close. Murray grabbed her 10^th rebound off a missed free-throw to give her the double double.
 
The Pioneers will travel back to Elmhurst for the second time this season on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Pios fell 64-65 the last time they were in Elmhurst. Kate Christian had finished with a career high 17 points to go along with nine rebounds, six steals, and four assists.