The women’s basketball team won their season opener, beating the Yale University Bulldogs 89-80 Thursday at 6pm The Huskies had the difficult task of stopping Yale’s two star players, junior Roxy Barahman and first-year Camilla Emsbo who combined to scored fifty of their team’s points.

In the first quarter the Huskies jumped out to a 10-6 lead after a three-pointer by senior forward Courtney Woods. The lead would not last long as the Huskies struggled to make shots going six for 18 from the field and shooting 33.9 percent from three. The Huskies also had a hard time trying to stop the Bulldogs in the paint, allowing them to score 12 of their 21 points.

In the second quarter, junior guard Myia Starks took control of the game by pushing the ball up the court and dishing it to teammates. Starks went two for four in the second quarter and had one assist. Despite the up tempo push from Starks, the Huskies’ shooting woes continued in the quarter going eight for 21 from the field, and the Bulldogs took the lead into the half 47-41.

To start the second half the the Huskies switched to a two-three zone to stop Yale’s scoring in the paint. The move worked out for the Huskies as they had four steals and prevented a field goal with 3:06 in the quarter.

Head Coach Lisa Carlsen said the change of defense helped slow down Yale’s paint scoring.

“I think they got really comfortable against our man”,Carlsen said “we played a little more zone and maybe got them out of their comfort zone,”

The Huskies’ offense also picked up the pace as senior guard Mikayla Voigt hit two big-three’s that helped take the lead 64-63 in the final seconds of third quarter.

“I think it really was a team effort, and a lot of energy that showed us it was our time to take over the game,” Voigt said.

In the fourth quarter it was a battle for the lead with six lead changes. Though the Huskies only shot 29.4 percent from the field, they shot perfect from the free throw line making all 13 attempts. Woods shot six of her 14 free throws in the quarter, a big part of her 38-point game.

“I know I said after the exhibition game there are a lot more parts of the game than making shots; toward the end I had to grab rebounds as [junior Ally May] blocked out,” Woods said.

Game two

The Huskies took on the Iowa State Cyclones Sunday at 2pm in the second round of the WNIT and lost 70-60. They struggled to get anything going against the Cyclones, shooting only 31 percent from the field and 23 percent from behind the three point line.

Senior guard Mikayla Voigt led the Huskies in scoring with 12 points; she also grabbed nine rebounds.

The Huskies next game is Sunday against the University of Northern Iowa at the Convention Center at 2pm.