WAVERLY, Iowa – No. 14 women's basketball opened the 2025-26 season with a win at home over Knox College on Friday, Nov. 7. The Knights were led by a 27-point performance from freshman forward Katie Boulanger in her collegiate debut.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  • First Quarter
    • Knox scored the first basket of the game, but Boulanger scored Wartburg's first seven points of the game after two layups and a three pointer to give the Knights a 7-6 lead after a minute and a half of play
    • Lauren Golinghorst was able to drive in for a score and then score two more at the free throw line over the next minute to move Wartburg's lead to 11-9
    • Tied at 11, Boulanger scored the next four points to move Wartburg back in front, but Knox responded with a 4-0 run to tie the game
    • Grace Hennessy and Laynee Hogan both scored for the Knights to keep Wartburg in front with under two minutes left in the quarter, but Knox closed the first with four made free throws to make the score 23-21 Knox after the first
  • Second Quarter
    • Knox scored the first five points of the quarter to take a 28-21 lead, but the Knights answered quickly with a three from Boulanger and a jumper from Emma Townsley
    • Trailing 33-26, Carly Rich came off the bench for the Knights and drilled a three pointer to cut the lead back to four with 7:35 left in the half
      • Rich's three pointer began a 12-0 run for the Knights that included scores from Townsley, Ava Trettin, Hennessy and Boulanger
    • Boulanger made her third triple of the quarter with 3:31 left in the quarter to put Wartburg ahead 41-34
    • Golinghorst scored a layup in the final minutes of the half, but Knox was able to chip away at the lead to make the halftime score 43-42
• Second Half
  • Third Quarter
    • Golinghorst scored the first three points of the third quarter for Wartburg before Boulanger connected on another three pointer to push the lead to 49-44 after two minutes of play
    • The Knights stretched the lead to 10 points at the 6:05 mark in the third quarter after a three-ball from Hennessy and a layup from Boulanger
    • Hennessy and Reagan Pagniano each drilled three pointers over the next three minutes to push the Wartburg lead to 62-46
    • Donlea and Boulanger each made two free throws in the final minutes of the third quarter to put Wartburg ahead 66-47
  • Fourth Quarter
    • Scores from Maddie Pavelka and Hennessy put the Knights in front 70-51 with 7:51 left to play
    • Another three from Pagniano and another score from Pavelka gave Wartburg a 24-point lead
    • Scores from Finley Fitzgerald, Ally Poegel, Lauren McLaughlin and Hogan in the final minutes of the fourth kept the Knights lead steady as they cruised to a 84-61 win at home

 
Top Performers

• Katie Boulanger
  • 27 points
    • 5/8 3P
  • Four steals
  • Three rebounds
  • Two assists
• Grace Hennessy
  • 14 points
    • 2/5 3P
  • Four blocks
  • One rebound
• Emma Townsley
  • Six points
  • Eight assists
  • Five steals
  • Two rebounds

 
Notes/Streaks

• Wartburg is now 3-0 all time against Knox
• Seven Knights scored their first collegiate points today
  • Katie Boulanger, Reagan Pagniano, Laynee Hogan, Maddie Pavelka, Carly Rich, Lauren McLaughlin and Ally Poegel
• Warburg's bench outscored Knox's bench 26-4
• The Knights made 10 three pointers as a team and allowed none defensively

 
Next Time Out
The Knights continue the Wartburg Tip-Off Tournament tomorrow at 3 p.m. against No. 8/10 John Hopkins.