WINFIELD, Kan. — The Southwestern College women's basketball team faced off against Cottey College in the season opener, falling short, 65-52.

Cottey establish an early lead, ending the first quarter, 13-11. Despite a strong effort from the Lady Builders in the second quarter, where they briefly took the lead, Cottey closed out the half, 28-28.

In the second half, the Moundbuilders struggled offensively, shooting just 31% from the field. Cottey capitalized with a dominant fourth quarter performance, scoring 22 points while holding Southwestern to just 12.

Leading the way for the Moundbuilders was Christy Wiebe, who scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Haven Matthews added 13 points, while Allyson Frank contributed six points and three rebounds.

On the Cottey side, Sarah Hunt was a standout performer, scoring 14 points and securing seven rebounds. Claudia Hadlock and Dally Coulter added 12 and 11 points.

Overall, Cottey outperformed the Builders in field goal percentage, hitting 40.7% compared to the Lady Builders' 31.0%. Southwestern also struggled from beyond the arc, making just four of their 16 three-point attempts.

Next up for the Moundbuilders is Southwestern Christian University on Wednesday, November 6, on the road at 7:30 p.m.