The Culver-Stockton women's basketball team withstood a furious first quarter by Missouri Baptist and went on to post a season-opening 68-54 victory over the Spartans Friday night at Charles Field House.

The Spartans came out of the gate quickly and scored 14 of the first 20 points of the game to take a 14-6 lead midway through the first quarter. However, the Wildcats survived the early onslaught, re-grouped and actually led 21-19 at the end of the quarter despite Missouri Baptist shooting 56 percent from the field.

C-SC took control in the second quarter, outscoring the visitors 13-7 in the period and holding them to just three field goals and 27 percent shooting enroute to a 34-26 halftime lead. The Wildcats only made five field goals in the quarter, however, three were from beyond the 3-point stripe.

The hosts extended its lead in the third quarter with a blistering 64 percent shooting in the quarter, making seven of 11 attempts in the period. The quarter could have been even better if not for the poor shooting from the free throw line where they made just 4 of 10 from the charity stripe.

Despite that effort, C-SC took a 53-38 lead to the final period and never let the Spartans get a any closer than nine points, which they did with seven minutes left to play. But a 9-3 run immediately by C-SC put any comeback thoughts by the Spartans at rest.

Two newcomers, McKenzie Lathrom and Avery Oetting, led the Wildcats with 13 points each. Lathrom, a senior transfer from Missouri-St. Louis, also dished out four assists, grabbed three rebounds and had a steal. Oetting, a freshman from Hallsville, Mo., made five of her nine field goal attempts and had two rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench.

Sophomore Katie Webb was also in double figures with 10 markers and grabbed six rebounds, while Addison Newbon nabbed a game-high eight caroms. Neviaiah Bell Tenner registered a tea-high three steals in her collegiate debut.

C-SC will try to sweep the weekend tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 5, when they host Hannibal-LaGrange University at Charles Field House. Game time is slated for 8 p.m.