The women’s basketball team fell to Malone University Friday night during the season opener despite coming out strong in the first half.

The first 10 minutes were controlled by the Eagles. The team kept the Pioneers below 10 points until the 10:39 mark, when Malone started to gain some traction.

The score was tied with 3:54 left to play in the first half after guard Kendyl Dearing made one of two free throw attempts.

The Pioneers went on to score nine more points before the half ended, which left the Eagles down 28-37 as the team headed to the locker room.

Just 24 seconds into the second half play, the Eagles were down 12 points.

The team was able to cut the lead to seven with 13:15 left to play, but that is the closest the Eagles would get. Malone kept the Eagles at bay and came away with the 65-75 victory.

“We got lackadaisical and we stopped playing defense,” said senior Anna Hackert.

“65 points is enough to win here,” said head coach Rick Stein. “We went on a long drought, we couldn’t make a free throw, but we still had 65 points and obviously I think that is enough to win a game. But we can’t let teams get into the 70s. We have to defend better.”

Both Hackert and Coach Stein said the team’s defense was just not there after the strong start.

“I think a lot of it was our communication,” Stein said. “They were running a flex screen scenario, where you have to communicate. If you don’t talk, you’re going to give up some open shots. Our communication really broke down. They went on a big run and really took control of the game at that point.”

The team went 29-44 at the free throw line, an issue that Stein said halted the team’s momentum.

“We were getting ourselves to the free throw line and then we were missing two at a time,” Stein said. “Walk out and miss 15 free throws and that hurts you.”

The team faced Ohio Valley University Saturday.

Stein said back to back games will not be a rare occurrence this season.

“We don’t have time to dwell on it, but we have time to learn from it,” Stein said.

Senior forward Anna Hackert had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Seniors Autumn Miller and Mary O’Keefe earned 14 and 12 points respectively.