Coach Carollo: I’m glad we could squeak out the win. I’m happy!

(Head Coach Keri Carollo)

 Despite being ranked 8^th nationally and being called a prime contender for a WIAC title, the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team was fully tested Thursday night in its 70 to 60 win over Carroll University in the season opener in Waukesha.

“I knew Carroll was going to give us a game and they did,” Warhawk head coach Keri Carollo indicated on the KOOL 106.5  Postgame Show. “We were not ready for their zone, trapping style of defense.”

‘We were atrocious defensively in the 1^st half,” Carollo said. ‘We didn’t do a good job with helping, boxing out, and our rebounding was not good.” 

“I’m just glad our girl’s were able to hang in there and squeak out the win against a really solid Carroll team.”

Whitewater trailed by 10 points in the second half but finished a monster run outscoring the Pioneers 22 to 2 over the final nine minutes of the game. The spark was lightning quick point guard Kaitlin Thill who scored 12 points in the second half including three three-pointers late in the game to prove to be a dagger in Carroll’s hopes of winning the game.

“None of our girls were hitting perimeter shots and Kaitlin was able to come through down the stretch – that was big,” Carollo said.  Thill’s 20 point effort included 4-5 from three point range and 8-10 from the line, also adding seven steals and four assists for the mercurial guard.

Emily McCullick finished with nine points on four of five from the floor.

“Emily made some big plays tonight,” Carollo indicated. “We needed her scoring because we just weren’t getting the outside scoring needed from a number of players tonight:

Cortney Kumerow was big inside for much of the night finishing her night with 18 points on 5 of 8 from the floor, 8 if 9 from the free throw line, and six rebounds.

“She (Kumerow) really stepped up for us offensively as she adjusted to that tough Carroll zone very well,” Coach Carollo said.

It might not have been the prettiest win but make no doubt Coach Carollo and her team will take it.

“You know, first games are sometimes ugly,” Carollo indicated on the postgame show. “I’m glad we could squeak out the win. I’m happy!

Next up for the Warhawks will be a weekend trip to Monmouth, Illinois to participate in a four-team, early season tournament. The Hawks will open vs. Wartburg College Saturday evening at 5 p.m.