EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Carroll University women's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season Saturday evening at the Eau Claire Tournament, falling 69-41 to No. 6 nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh inside the Sonnentag Event Center. The Pioneers showed improvement offensively as the game progressed, matching the Titans' 13 points in the third quarter, but an early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Carroll (0-1) struggled to find its offensive rhythm in the opening quarter as UW-Oshkosh jumped out to a 13-0 advantage. Katie Barger put the Pioneers on the scoreboard with a three-pointer at the 4:34 mark, but the Titans maintained control, taking an 18-5 lead into the second quarter.
The Titans continued to build their advantage in the second period, extending their lead to 24-7 with just under seven minutes remaining in the half. Carroll received a spark off the bench from Payton Hayes, who knocked down a three-pointer and added a jumper in the closing two minutes. Juliette Huff added a layup in the final seconds as the Pioneers entered halftime trailing 37-17.
Carroll came out with a stronger offensive effort in the third quarter, shooting 35.7 percent from the floor while matching UW-Oshkosh's 13 points in the period. The Pioneers continued to battle on both ends of the floor, but the Titans maintained their 20-point advantage heading into the final quarter, leading 50-30.
UW-Oshkosh pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Carroll 19-11 to secure the 69-41 victory.
Barger led the Pioneers with a double-double, recording 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds while adding four steals and three assists. Huff and Hayes each contributed eight points, with Hayes connecting on two three-pointers off the bench.
Carroll finished with nine steals and four blocked shots while receiving 14 points from its bench. The Pioneers shot 23.3 percent from the floor and 19 percent from beyond the arc, while UW-Oshkosh connected on 40.9 percent of its field goal attempts and held a 49-33 rebounding advantage. Emily La Chapell led the Titans with 19 points, while Olivia Witkowski added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Pioneers will look to bounce back on Sunday, November 8, when they face tournament host UW-Eau Claire in the second and final game of the Eau Claire Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside the Sonnentag Event Center.
