Defense, defense, defense.

After Wednesday’s 83-62 loss at home against UW-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire players and coaches said they felt the sting of the loss and all pointed to one big reason for the defeat: defense.

“We had breakdowns,” coach Tonja Englund said. “It’s a tough loss.”

The lady Blugolds were the first on the board when sophomore Ellen Plendl was fouled and netted a free throw, but that was the last time the Blugolds would have the lead.

The first period ended with the Blugolds scoring 33, but allowing the Falcons to score 45 points, something Englund said the team does not normally do.

When the women took to the court again, it looked as though they would mount a comeback, as they whittled the Falcon lead down to just seven points. But the resurgence was limited to five unanswered points. River Falls took control again, leading by as many as 23 points. By the end of the game had a 21-point margin of victory.

“We definitely had a chance,” freshman Sarah Bingea said about the loss. “We can’t give up that many points.”

Junior Hannah Mesick led the Blugolds with 18 points, while sophomore Jess Freagon and Bingea put 12 and nine points on the board, respectively. Plendl grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

The loss gives the Blugolds a record of 6-5 in the conference and 7-13 overall. With a win, the team hoped to move into third place in the WIAC standings, Englund said. Instead, the loss puts the Blugolds in fifth place. Earning tournament games at home is one big reason the Blugolds are fighting to move ahead in the standings, Englund said.

Laura Olson also said a win would have definitely helped the Blugolds in the conference.

“If we won, we could’ve jumped ahead in the race,” Olson said. “Now we have to fight back in the middle of the pack.”

While it was an important game, Bingea said the team wouldn’t look too far ahead in the schedule.

“This sets us back a bit,” Bingea said. “But we just have to take it one game at a time.”

The team’s next opportunity will be Saturday when the Blugolds play UW-Platteville in Zorn Arena. It’s also Alumni Day, meaning the Blugolds want to be at their best, Olson said.

“It’s Alumni Day and when the alumni are here, we have to come to play,” she said.

The Blugolds beat the Pioneers in early January with a score of 70-38, but after Wednesday’s game it was no surprise Englund said the Blugolds would need to work on defense to prepare for the game. But instead of taking the River Falls game as just a tally in the loss column, Englund said the team could grow stronger as a result.

“Our key is consistency, she said. “Our hope is these losses make us better.”