WAYNE, Neb. - Kendyl Lodermeier scored 17 points in Upper Iowa's (0-1) 63-45 season-opening loss to Wayne State (Neb.) (1-0) on Monday. The Peacocks were 3-of-16 (18.8%) from behind the arc and had 24 turnovers in the loss.
Lodermeier added five rebounds and a steal to her totals. The sophomore shot 8-of-15 (53.3%) from the field and scored eight points in the first half with nine in the second half.
Junior guard Lindsey Davis totaled eight points with five rebounds. Bryar Duwe recorded seven points, a team-high six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Magi Bjornson had four points in 13 minutes of action. Sydnee Nelson tallied three points, a team-high four assists and five rebounds.
UIU got off to a rough start, allowing the Wildcats to build a 17-2 lead after the Peacocks went 1-of-6 from the field with seven turnovers. On the other hand, Wayne State shot 7-of-8, going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc with six different players scoring.
The Peacocks fell down in the first half, 41-17, for the largest deficit of the opening 20 minutes. A Magi Bjornson bucket and a free throw by Reagan Hofer brought the lead down to 41-20 at halftime.
A 6-0 run by Wayne State to start the second half gave it the largest lead of the game at 27 points. WSC kept that lead until the end of the third quarter at 52-26. Lodermeier scored seven points in the fourth quarter to win the final period, 19-11, for the 18-point loss.
Upper Iowa finished the game shooting 17-of-48 (35.4%) from the field while the Wildcats were 26-of-66 (39.4%). Wayne State shot 16-of-32 (50%) from the field in the first half while going 10-of-34 (29.4%) in the second half. Wayne made all six of its 3-pointers in the first half, going 0-for-12 in the second half.
Wayne State had a 38-24 advantage in the paint and a 26-13 advantage on points off of turnovers. The Wildcats had 18 turnovers, six of which came off of Peacock steals. UIU outscored WSC 25-22 in the second half.
Abigail Aslesen came off the bench to lead the Wildcats with 13 points while adding five rebounds and two assists. Macy Birkholz had 12 points, Brooklyn Kruse scored 10 points with a team-high six rebounds, and Emma Frost had 10 points with a team-high three assists.
UIU continues nonconference action in Wisconsin Dells against Michigan Tech (1-0) on Friday, Nov. 13, at 5 p.m. and Northern Michigan (2-1) on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m.
