WINFIELD, Kan. — The Avila Golden Eagles came out strong and never looked back, earning their first win of the season 71-61 over Southwestern.

In the first quarter, the Golden Eagles moved the ball around with precision, scoring the first six points consecutively. Avila came out hot, doing a little bit of everything on the court—causing turnovers and converting them into points. Their aggressive start helped them take control early, building a 22-14 lead by the end of the quarter.

Avila (1-7, 2-4) set the tone early with Kathleen Stanley spearheading the effort, hitting shots from beyond the arc and facilitating transition opportunities.

Southwestern (1-6, 1-2) fought back in the second quarter, finding success from three-point range behind contributions from Macey Pond and Christy Wiebe. Despite their efforts, Avila maintained control with a balanced attack. The Eagles' defense was relentless, disrupting passing lanes and driving opportunities, holding Southwestern to just six second-quarter points. Avila went into halftime with a comfortable 34-24 lead.

Kathleen Stanley was the star of the night for Avila, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including four three-pointers. She also tallied three assists and two steals. Madilyn Melton dominated inside, posting a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Marlie Wright contributed nine rebounds and seven points.

In the third quarter, Avila stretched its lead to as many as 21 points, capitalizing on transition opportunities and second-chance points. The Eagles scored six points off offensive rebounds, compared to none for Southwestern. By the end of the quarter, Avila led 54-39.Southwestern tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, led by Wiebe, who scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Haven Matthews added 15 points, including seven from the free-throw line. However, the Lady Builders were unable to close the gap with 21 turnovers and Avila's strong defensive presence kept them at bay.

Avila's ability to disrupt Southwestern's offense was key, forcing the Builders to shoot just 33.9% from the field. Meanwhile, the Eagles' efficient three-point shooting (8-of-19) and dominance on the boards (43 rebounds to 31) secured their first conference win of the season.

The Builders host Oklahoma Wesleyan, Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m.