The Blugolds started out quick scoring the first four points of the game and jumping out to an early lead. However, that lead was short lived as the Kohawks took a 9-8 lead with 13:35 to play in the first half and never looked back.
The Kohawks went on an 11-0 run midway through the first half as the Blugolds only had one field goal in a span of eight and a half minutes. The Kohawks biggest lead was 12 before the Blugolds cut into that lead before the half and the halftime score was 30-25 in favor of the Kohawks. The Blugolds only shot 34% in the first half, while Coe shot 52%.
The Blugolds came out in the second half and cut the lead to two on Dan Beyer’s (So.-Waukesha, WI/Catholic Memorial) three-point-play. The Blugold’s then cut the lead to one with 14 minutes to play after B.J. Vetterkind’s (Fr.-Mondovi, WI) jumper. However, that’s as close as the Blugolds would get as the Kohawks would extend the lead and hit their free throws when it mattered for a final score of 66-54.
The Blugolds shot better in the second half, but were still under 40% for the game. Both teams struggled from beyond the arc combining to go 7-for-34. The Kohawks had 18 points off Blugold turnovers, while UWEC only had six points off Kohawk turnovers.
The Blugolds’ Jared Bardon (So.-DeForest, WI) led all scorers with 19 points. Vetterkind contributed 11 points off the bench for the Blugolds.
The loss drops the Blugolds to 0-1 on the season and Coe College improves to 1-0.
Up next for the Blugolds is game two of the Wisconsin-Iowa Challenge when UWEC hosts Buena Vista College tomorrow night. The action gets underway at 7 p.m. in Zorn Arena.