WAYNE, Neb. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team earned its first victory of the season defeating Wayne State College, 75-68, in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener for both teams.
 
SMSU was led by Bri Stoltzman's 19 points on 7 of 13 shooting, while also adding five rebounds and three steals. Sam Wall scored a season-high 18 points with a pair of 3-pointers, while Hannah Parsley also scored a season-high with 15 points.
 
SMSU (1-4, 1-0 NSIC) finished the game shooting 44 percent (27 of 62) from the field and connecting on 8 of 20 from 3-point range. The Mustangs held a 36-30 rebound advantage and forced the Wildcats into 18 turnovers.
 
WSC (2-1, 0-1 NSIC) shot 50 percent (25 of 50) from the field, while making 3 of 10 from 3-point range. Britney Ho led the Wildcats with 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting.
 
SMSU started the game strong, scoring the first two points and eventually building a 17-6 lead just over five minutes into the game following a layup by Stoltzman.
 
SMSU would later hold a 20-8 cushion after a Wall free throw before settling for a 29-18 lead after one quarter of play.
 
WSC would rally back and cut the deficit to 35-30 with 3:13 left in the second quarter, but a Madison Gehloff field goal, followed later by back-to-back field goals by Stoltzman and Wall would push the Mustang lead to 41-31 at the 1:46 mark. The Mustangs' Parsley would close the half with a late field goal to give SMSU a 44-33 halftime advantage.
 
SMSU closed the opening half shooting 55 percent with four 3-pointers, while WSC shot 48 percent and made a pair of 3-pointers.
 
SMSU would maintain the lead in the third quarter and pushed the advantage to its largest in the opening three quarters at 64-49 with just over a minute left following a 3-pointer by Wall.
 
Kenzie Jones drilled her second 3-pointer of the game early in fourth quarter to extend the margin to 67-51 and the Mustangs never looked back in earning just its second victory in Wayne since the 2008-09 season.
 
Jones and Gehloff both finished the night with eight points, while Gehloff and Peyton Blandin both secured a team-high six rebounds.
 
SMSU returns to action on Monday, Nov. 27, hosting Bethany Lutheran College in a non-conference match-up starting at 7 p.m.