ANGOLA, Ind. – The #18 Trine University women's basketball team fell to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville 67-63 on night one of the Croxton & Roe Holiday Classic inside the MTI Center. Annika Southworth led the Thunder (6-2, 2-0 MIAA) with 16 points but the Pioneers (9-1) rallied from a 12 point fourth quarter deficit to steal the win.
 
Erin Sherwood and Hailey Cole scored in double figures with 14 and 13 points each. Sherwood dished out four assists and Olivia Marks grabbed eight rebounds.
 
The first quarter was a high-scoring affair as the teams were tied at 20 after the first frame. Trine led first, taking a 4-0 advantage. Platteville responded with a 9-2 run but were answered by an 8-2 spurt from the Thunder. Sophie Gesell capped the run with a three pointer. Trine held the lead until the final buzzer as UWP beat the horn to tie the game at 20.
 
Trine took control in the second quarter, opening with an 11-3 run backed by three point shooting from Southworth and Marks. Sherwood added three of her own with a free throw and a lay in. Trine limited the Pioneers to just seven points and led 33-27 at the break.
 
The Thunder kept the momentum out of the locker room, stretching the lead to 14. The long ball again rained supreme with Southworth, Ally Capouch, and Marks all notching makes from downtown to lead 45-31. The Thunder maintained their double digit lead for the rest of the quarter from the free throw line with five makes in the latter half of the quarter.
 
The Pioneers began chipping away at the Thunder lead immediately as the fourth quarter started. UWP slashed the lead to seven in the first two minutes. Trine preserved the lead thanks to a three minute stalemate as the clocked rolled past the halfway mark. Platteville again cut into the lead, this time with a triple and a layup, trimming the deficit to 54-52. Hailey Cole and Southworth gave Trine some breathing room, Cole converted two free throws and Southworth knocked in a three pointer and the lead was seven with under four minutes to play.
 
Platteville would not go away, cutting the lead to one with a pair of triples. Southworth again provided the relief with a jumper to give Trine a 61-58 lead. It would be the final lead for the home team as Platteville scored nine of the final eleven points to take the win.
 
Trine will look for a quick rebound tomorrow afternoon with a 3:00 p.m. contest against Hanover to close out the Croxton & Roe Holiday Classic.