MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team earned its first win of the 2022-23 season on Sunday afternoon with a 66-52 win over visiting Presentation College. 

Reece Wassink scored the first two baskets of the day for Minnesota Morris and Haley Wollschlager added a layup for an early 6-2 lead on the Saints. Presentation came back to lead twice before the quarter was done, but a Tariq Brownotter triple in the final minute gave the Cougars a 15-13 lead after one.

Trailing 19-18 early on in the second quarter, Minnesota Morris went on a 6-0 run with buckets from Jay Kwateh, Wollschlager, and Maddie Smart to take a 24-19 edge. Smart later pushed the Cougar lead as high as eight points, driving in for a layup to make it 33-25. UMN Morris maintained a 35-29 advantage into the break. 

A slow offensive start to the second half allowed Presentation to get back in the game and the Saints actually took a 43-42 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. Jadyn Sondrol made a layup to put Minnesota Morris back in front and Wollschlager followed with a three to regain a four-point margin. A bucket from Shelby Mortenson late in the frame gave the Cougars a 49-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Minnesota Morris held Presentation from scoring for nearly the first three minutes of the fourth. By that time, Sondrol had canned a three-pointer from the top of the key and Wollschlager added a short jumper to push the lead back to eight, 54-46. The only field goal of the quarter for Presentation wouldn't come until less than four minutes remained in the game. That basket made it 58-49 and free throws got it to six, 58-52, but the Cougars put the game away with eight makes at the charity stripe in the final 40 seconds.

Wollschlager finished with a team-high 14 points. She was joined by Sondrol (11 points) and Brownotter (10 points) in double figures. Smart matched a career high with eight points in the game. Malory Anderson pulled down 12 rebounds on the afternoon.

Minnesota Morris begins UMAC play on Dec. 9 with a trip to North Central University for a 7:15 p.m. tip-off with the Rams in a rematch of last season's UMAC championship game.