Paul Cartledge, Bears and Pandas Athletics

EDMONTON – Starting on the right foot, the University of Alberta Pandas had a big first half, especially the first quarter, to claim a 68-59 victory over the Trinity Western University Spartans, Friday night at Saville Community Sports Centre.

Senior forward Elle Hendershot led the scoring for the home team, recording her 12th career double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Sophomore guard Emma Kary earned a baker's dozen in points on the scoresheet while third-year guard Megan Tywoniuk also cracked the double-digit barrier with 11 points.

Fourth-year forward Tessa Ratzlaff put up the most points for the visitors with 16 while fourth-year guard Jessie Brown netted 13 and third-year guard Sarah Buckingham added 12. Senior forward Kayla Gordon had a team-high 13 rebounds to go with eight points.

The home team burst out of the gate with offence, connecting on five of their first six shots, and using a first-quarter shooting percentage of 67% to earn a nine-point lead after 10 minutes.

Kary drained three buckets inside the paint and added a three-ball while the visiting Spartans struggled, only hitting six baskets of 17 from the field.

The cold shooting continued into the second quarter while the Pandas put together a 12-2 run, improving their lead to as much as 21 and entering halftime with a 45-26 scoreline.

Not to be silenced, the Spartans came into the third quarter and started chipping away at the deficit, earning eight points off turnovers despite getting outrebounded.

Trinity Western's usual three-ball specialist, holding the team's record for most career long-distance buckets, Brown used her skills in the paint and at the charity stripe to pull the road squad to within seven with just under seven minutes left, suggesting the game's story was far from set in stone.

Yet rookie guard Jenna Harpe, after making the best play in the third quarter with a steal at the three-point line before rushing down court for a patient jumper, sealed the victory with a three-ball with 4:20 left in the game by expanding the lead back to 15.

The Spartans tried to get back into the game one more time, but the deficit proved too large and the Pandas were able to hold Trinity Western at bay to claim the home-opening win.

Both teams will meet again in game two of the weekend series, tip-off at 5 p.m. MT.