Box Score Fayette, Iowa—Minnesota Crookston was looking to get back into their winning ways on Saturday afternoon in Fayette, Iowa, taking on the Peacocks of Upper Iowa.
 
Upper Iowa used a nice home crowd and a strong second half to defeat Minnesota Crookston, 82-67.
 
The win for Upper Iowa improves their record to 3-15 (2-10 NSIC), while the Golden Eagles fall to 2-14 (1-11 NSIC).
 
Minnesota Crookston got off to a good start, scoring the first five points of the game, after an Abby Guidinger (Jr., F, Waukesha, Wis.) three and a Mary Burke (R-Fr., F, Virginia, Minn.) baseline jumper.
 
That's when the Peacocks took advantage of the Golden Eagles cold shooting, to go on an 11-0 run, which was halted by yet another Burke mid-range jumper.
 
The Golden Eagles would trail 13-9 heading into the second quarter, but Mattea Vetsch (Fr., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) would cut the lead to one with one of three makes from behind the arc for the Golden Eagles. Minnesota Crookston would shoot just 3-19 from behind the arc in the first half.
 
Upper Iowa would end the half on a 14-5 run, including a late three from Bekka Pierson to head into the halftime break up by 13, their largest lead of the half, 32-19.
 
Individually, Minnesota Crookston was led by Vetsch, who scored six, while Burke had four points and Guidinger had three points in the half.
 
The Golden Eagles shot just 21.2 percent from the field and were outrebounded 29-14 by the Peacocks in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The third quarter would see the Peacocks continue to shoot lights out, hitting from the field at a 57.1 percent clip, compared to just 38.5 percent for the Golden Eagles.
 
UIU would stretch their lead to as much as 21 with 2:35 left in the second quarter. Vetsch would bury a corner three right before the third quarter buzzer, to cut the Peacock lead to 17, at 57-40 heading into the final stanza.
 
Another Vetsch three would cut the lead to just 10 in the opening two and a half minutes, forcing a Peacock timeout from first year man Nate Oakland.
 
That timeout would pay off, as the Peacocks would run away with the game late in the second half and defeat the Golden Eagles, 82-67.
 
The Golden Eagles were led by Vetsch's 15 points, including tying a career-high with five makes from behind the arc. Burke and Peterson had 14 and 13, respectively. Burke also chipped in a career-high nine rebounds, passing her eight rebounds yesterday.
 
The difference was the rebound differential. Minnesota Crookston was outrebounded 53-28 in the game.
 
Minnesota Crookston is back at home for the first of four straight games inside Lysaker Gymnasium next weekend, hosting The University of Mary. Tip-off is set for 5:30 on Friday night.