MARYVILLE, Mo. – The University of Minnesota Crookston women's basketball team opened up the 2021-22 regular-season with a 74-58 loss to No. 15/RV University of Nebraska Kearney Friday, November 12 at Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo.

The Golden Eagles falls to 0-1 with Friday's loss to the Lopers. Nebraska Kearney commenced the 2021-22 season with a 1-0 mark.

UMN Crookston was guided Friday by the play of Mary Burke (Sr., F, Virginia, Minn.) with 12 points. Burke was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Emma Carpenter (Jr., G, Eagan, Minn.) added 10 points for the Golden Eagles, while Bren Fox (R-Jr., F/C, Norwood Young America, Minn.) had 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Abi Fraaza (Fr., F, Birnamwood, Wis.) made her collegiate debut with eight boards. Alex Page (Fr., F, Grand Forks, N.D.) had six points and five rebounds.

The Golden Eagles shot 17-of-49 from the field for 34.4 percent. UMN Crookston shot 8-of-18 for 44.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles were 16-of-24 from the foul line for 66.7 percent.  Minnesota Crookston was narrowly out-rebounded 36-34. The Golden Eagles had 16 turnovers on the game.

Nebraska Kearney shot 29-of-62 from the field for 41.9 percent. The Lopers were 13-of-33 from beyond the arc for 39.4 percent. Nebraska Kearney hit on 9-of-11 from the line for 81.8 percent. The Lopers had 17 assists and just 11 turnovers.

Nebraska Kearney had four players tally double-figure scoring for the day. Klaire Kirsch paced the Lopers with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Trinity Law added 15 points. Elisa Backes finished with 14 points, while Haley Simentel chipped in 13 points.

The Lopers opened the first quarter with a 10-5 lead on a Kirsch basket. The Golden Eagles were able to close within 13-10 on a Page trey with 3:24 left in the quarter. A Kirsch bucket helped extend the Nebraska Kearney advantage back out to 17-10. Nebraska Kearney went into the quarter break with a 20-12 advantage.

A Burke triple right out of the gate in the second quarter brought Minnesota Crookston within 20-15. The Lopers responded with an 8-0 run as a Maegan Holt trey pushed the Nebraska Kearney lead to 28-15. The Golden Eagles countered with an 8-1 run of their own as a Post trey cut the deficit down to 29-23. The Lopers were able to hold the lead and go into the locker room with a 44-31 advantage.

Nebraska Kearney held a 14-point lead (50-36) early on in the third quarter following a Kirsch lay-in. The Golden Eagles were able to make a late push in the third quarter as a Burke trey trimmed the deficit to 56-44 going into the quarter break.

The Golden Eagles did not give in as they utilized a 10-2 run propelled by six points from Burke on a pair of triples. The run cut the deficit to four points (58-54) with 8:22 left in the fourth quarter. The Lopers fended off the charge with an 8-2 run as a Holt trey pushed the advantage to 66-56. Nebraska Kearney was able to come away with a 74-58 lead.

Minnesota Crookston faces off with Northwest Missouri State University Saturday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo.