WINONA, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball (18-5, 16-3 NSIC) used strong team defense to hold host Winona State (18-8, 12-7) to 31.1% (19-61) team shooting in a 56-54 road win at McCown Gymnasium on Friday night. Winona State only scored two points in the last 9-plus minutes of play, while Concordia survived a 7-plus minute stretch (10:40 to 3:39) with just one point. Carrisa Wolyniec (Minneapolis) scores six points down the stretch to lift Concordia to victory, leads Concordia with 12 points on the night.

Concordia also held the Warriors to 11.8% (2-17) three-point shooting and forced 16 turnovers. Concordia overcame the Warriors' 14-of-15 free throw shooting and 48-33 rebounding margin.

The Golden Bears didn't shoot much better, but fared well enough to pickup the road win, making 38.6% (22-57) from the field and 31.8% (7-22) from behind the arc.

Winona State held the league's leading scorer, Anika Whiting (Ashland, Wis.), to a season-low nine points, her first sub-10 point game. She shot 4-of-9 from the floor and collected eight rebounds while adding two blocks and two steals.

Neither team led by more than six points in the game, which featured eight ties and four lead changes throughout.

Whiting converted a layup with 10:40 to play in the game to tie the score at 48. From there, all Concordia would get over the next seven minutes was a Whiting free throw with 5:01 remaining.

It wasn't until Carissa Wolyniec (Minneapolis) converted a three-point play with 3:39 to play that the Golden Bear drought ended.

But the defense held strong, limiting Winona State to just four points during the same stretch of play, allowing Wolyniec's three-point play to tie the score at 52.

After a pair of Warrior free throws, Wolyniec stepped out and delivered a three-pointer with 2:11 to play to give Concordia a one point lead. Her six points down the stretch were the catalyst in the victory. She led Concordia with 12 points in the game and was 3-of-6 shooting from behind the arc.

The Golden Bear defense took it from there, shutting the Warriors out down the stretch with Concordia adding a free throw by Kayla Hulsebus to give Concordia the two point victory.

The Golden Bears allowed only two points in the last 9-plus minutes of play to leave Winona with the win.

Rachel Hansen (Eagan, Minn.) added 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Jasmine Haynes (Robbinsdale, Minn.) added nine points.

The Golden Bears have won 15 of the last 16 games after a 3-4 start to the season. Their fourth loss was to Winona State at Gangelhoff Center back in early December.

Tomorrow, Concordia will take on Upper Iowa in Fayette, Iowa with a 6 p.m. tip-off at Dorman Gymnasium. Concordia is 15-1 against the Peacocks all-time, but the only loss in the series was the last time the teams met in Fayette last January. Concordia has won the two meetings since, both played in St. Paul.