FAYETTE, Iowa – The Winona State women's basketball team continued its winning ways Saturday, using stifling defense to down Upper Iowa 65-47 in its final game of 2014.
 
The Warriors again gave the Peacocks fits on the defensive end, forcing them to 32 percent shooting from the field, and 21 percent from behind the arc while creating 17 UIU turnovers.

Connor Nagle led three Warriors in double figures with 13 points, while Tara Roelofs added 12. Kayla Timmerman had a strong all-around game scoring 10 points, grabbing seven rebounds, blocking three shots and gathering a season-high two steals.
 
Both teams struggled early on in the game as Upper Iowa held just a 5-4 lead at the 12:04 mark in the first half.
 
However, a jumper by Roelofs gave WSU a 6-5 advantage and they would never relinquish the lead. The Warriors would go on 12-1 run at that point to pull ahead 16-6.
 
Both teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the half, but the Warriors would take a 30-22 lead into the break. Winona State's defense was relentless, forcing the Peacocks into 11 first half turnovers.
 
The Warriors would come out firing in the second half, going on a 12-1 run in the first 3:33 of the second half to pull out to a 42-23 lead. Nagle knocked down two three-pointers and Roelofs made two jumpers in that stretch to give WSU the 19-point advantage.
 
Winona State would stretch their lead to as much as 22 in the second half on a Timmerman layup with 7:17 to go, giving WSU a 60-38 lead.
 
The Warriors would close out the game on a high note from off the bench as Hannah McGlone ended the game on a strong post move and layup with six seconds to go to give Winona State the 18-point victory. The freshman led the Warriors by tying a career high with nine rebounds – including five from the offensive side – to add to her seven points.

WSU turned in a strong offensive effort, as they shot 43 percent from the field in their second conference road victory of the season.
 
Winona State (9-1, 5-1 NSIC) will head into the holiday break with a share of the NSIC South lead. Next up for the Warriors will be a tough road conference matchup against NSIC North-leading Northern State on January 2 at 6 p.m. in Aberdeen.