Pointer sports teams take week off for exams All of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's winter sports teams have the week off for final exams. Heading into the break, five of the Pointers' seven winter sports teams are currently ranked in the top 10 of their respective Division III national poll. Men's Basketball The Pointers are off this week, with their next game scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, in the Quandt Fieldhouse against Wisconsin Lutheran in the final game of the Sentry Classic. The Pointers head into the holiday break on a strong note after defeating UW-La Crosse, 79-58, last week to improve to 9-1 overall. UW-Stevens Point is ranked sixth in the latest Division III rankings. Josh Iserloth (Plymouth) scored 26 points to lead the Pointers in La Crosse. As a team, the Pointers shot 60.4 percent from the field and were 18-for-19 from the line in the victory. Rich Steif (Wausau) was seven-for-seven from the field to score 15 points in 14 minutes played. Against Wisconsin Lutheran, the Pointers hope to get back on the winning track in the Sentry Classic. The Pointers loss to Edgewood in last year's classic snapped a 16-game Sentry Classic win streak. Women's Basketball The Pointer women will look to complete an undefeated non-conference season when they take on Carroll College at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, in the Sentry Classic. The women had a tough 75-66 loss to UW-La Crosse last week in a WIAC game, but quickly rebounded by pounding Edgewood, 82-52, in a non-conference game to enter the holidays on a high note with an 8-2 record and 1-2 in the WIAC. Against UW-La Crosse, the Pointers trailed for most of the game, but cut the Eagles' lead to 57-56 with under five minutes left. However, UW-La Crosse responded with a key three-pointer to push the lead back to four points and then connected on 12 of 14 free throws down the stretch for the win. The Pointers came back on Friday to shoot 49 percent and bury Edgewood. Kari Groshek (Rosholt) had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Carry Boehning (Auburndale) had 13 points. Cassandra Heuer (Two Rivers) and Amanda Tosic (Franklin) each added 10 points. Men's Hockey The Pointers did not play last week and will next take on last season's NCAA Division III runner-up St. Thomas in a non-conference game on Jan. 5. UW-Stevens Point, which is ranked sixth in the Division III rankings, will host St. Mary's the following afternoon. The Pointers go into the semester break with an 8-4 overall record and 2-1 in the NCHA. Women's Hockey The women's hockey team snapped a four-game losing streak by sweeping a two-game series from UW-Eau Claire at Willett Arena Friday and Saturday, Dec. 15-16. Julie Rochford (Eden Prairie, Minn.) had the first hat trick in Pointer history in Friday's 5-1 victory and Alison St. Peter (Wisconsin Rapids) added two goals in Saturday's 5-2 win. Nicole Busse (Stevens Point) scored or assisted on all five goals in Friday's win and broke the 2-2 tie with a goal with 5:48 left in the second period of Saturday's game to earn NCHA Player of the Week honors. Diane Sawyer (Stillwater, Minn.) made 13 saves on Friday and 18 on Saturday. The Pointers are in third place in the five-team NCHA and will travel to St. Benedict and St. Olaf in non-conference games on Jan. 8-9. The team's record is 5-4-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the NCHA. Swimming And Diving UW-Stevens Point is off until its annual two-week training trip to Hawaii from Dec. 27 to Jan. 10. The Pointer men are ranked fourth in the country and the women are ranked eighth. Both teams are 4-0 in dual meets. Wrestling UW-SP suffered its first loss of the season last week in a 25-19 defeat to UW-La Crosse in a battle of top 10 teams. The Pointers are ranked 10th in the nation and lost to the third-ranked Eagles by the margin of their forfeit at 125 pounds. The Pointers got victories from Chet Zdanczewicz (Avoca) at 141 pounds, Joe Bavlnka (Colgate) at 165 pounds and Wes Kapping (Spring Valley) at 174 pounds. Ben Kureck (Delafield) added a major decision victory at 184 pounds and Yan White (Antigo) followed with a victory by injury default at 197 pounds. The Pointers are 1-1 overall in dual meets, as well as in the WIAC. UW-SP will travel to Orlando, Fla., for the Florida Duals Dec. 29 and 30.