MOORHEAD, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team couldn't keep up with a potent Concordia College-Moorhead offense on Wednesday night, falling to the Cobbers in the season opener by a score of 85-60.

Concordia scored the first four points of the game and never trailed, though Minnesota Morris did come back to tie the game at 4-4 off baskets from Malory Anderson and Ella Van Kempen. The Cobbers then scored the next six points and took an 18-13 lead after one quarter of play.

A Jadyn Sondrol layup and a pair of free throws from Anderson got Minnesota Morris within three, 20-17, early in the second quarter before a 7-0 run from Concordia gave the Cobbers their first double-digit lead, 27-17. By halftime, Concordia had increased its lead to 43-27.

The teams traded big runs in the third quarter. Grace Olson brought the Cougars within 15 on a three-pointer midway through the quarter. Concordia promptly responded by rattling off the next eight points, but Minnesota Morris then scored eight in a row with baskets from Anderson, Haley Wollschlager, and Jay Kwateh. The Cobbers went into the final quarter with a 59-42 advantage.

Any real hope of a Minnesota Morris comeback ended when Concordia scored the first five points of the fourth quarter. The closest the Cougars would get would be 17 points when Reece Wassink scored three straight baskets in the middle of the quarter. The Cobbers continued to hit threes down the stretch to build its lead.

Sondrol and Wassink each ended with 10 points on the night. Van Kempen added eight and Wollschlager chipped in seven. Anderson finished with seven points and a team-high six rebounds. Kwateh had six points and four steals.  

Minnesota Morris will make its home debut on Saturday afternoon, hosting the College of Saint Benedict at 4 p.m.