Beckley, WV – Destiny Haworth tied her career-high draining seven three-pointers, while Victory Fredricks recorded a 10 point, 11 rebounds double-double to lead the (RV) Cumberlands women's basketball team to a 97-81 season opening win over Bluefield Friday afternoon at the BRCCC.  It marks the Patriots fifth straight season opening win and the third consecutive year of scoring at least 90 points in the first game. 

Haworth led the way for UC going 7-10 from behind-the-arc to finish with a team-high 25 points.  Kassie Monday added 20 points, 17 of which came in the first half, while Fredricks notched the double-double in her Patriot debut.  Kaedlee Potter tallied eight points, eight rebounds, and a team-high three assists, while Channing Lewis and Joy Kendrick finished with seven points each.  Kendrick also notched a team-high four steals. 

The Patriots strike first as Kaylie Monday finds Victory Fredricks in the paint on the opening possession of the game.  Kassie Monday added a layup before Jaiden Cox came off the bench and recorded two steals and an offensive rebound.  Kassie Monday added four more points to extend UC's lead to 8-3 with 7:09 remaining in the first quarter.  Bluefield went on a 7-2 run to even the game at 10-10 midway through the opening quarter.  Fredricks notched a pair of assists connecting with Destiny Haworth and Kassie Monday from long range to put UC in front 18-12 with 3:05 remaining. The duo of Monday and Haworth added five more points putting the Patriots in front 23-14.  Kaedlee Potter added an offensive rebound and putback, while Kassie Monday added four more points in the closing seconds of the period to finish with 17 points and extend UC's lead to 29-16. 

Haworth opens the second quarter with her third three-pointer of the game, this time off an assist from Whitney Caldwell.  After the Rams converted a pair of free throws, the Patriots scored six unanswered points capped off by a Channing Lewis jumper to put Cumberlands in front 38-18 with 6:27 remaining.  The two teams trade baskets over the next three minutes until Potter found Haworth from behind-the-arc to make it 47-26 with 3:18 remaining.  Casey Coleman and Kendrick combined for five of UC's final seven first half points as Cumberlands took a 54-33 lead into the break. 

Kassie Monday, Fredricks, and Haworth combined for the first ten Patriot points of the third quarter giving Cumberlands a 64-40 advantage with 6:35 remaining.  Lewis added four points as the two teams traded buckets, before Mackenzie Babb connected with Haworth for her seventh three of the game tying her previous which she set November 1, 2021 against Reinhardt. The two teams played even over the final five minutes of the quarter as the Patriots took an 82-56 lead into the fourth.

Caldwell opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to push the lead back to 29 points, 85-56.   Kendricks and Brittni Allison each added a basket as Bluefield went on a 9-4 run to cut the lead to 89-65 midway through the final period.  UC added buckets from Potter, Allison, and Lakin Burke however the Rams closed out the game on a 16-8 run for the 97-81 final.

The Patriots will return to action on Saturday when they will face Voorhees at 1 PM. Live video of the game will be available here.
 
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