QUINCY, Ill. – McKendree University women's basketball couldn't overcome a slow start here Saturday afternoon against Winona State as the Bearcats suffered a hard-fought 64-50 setback in the opening game of the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic hosted by Quincy University and held at Pepsi Arena.
 
With the loss, McKendree falls to 0-3 on the season, while Winona State improved to 4-0 on the year. It marks the second consecutive season that McKendree has started the season losing its first three games.
 
No Bearcats scored in double figures in the game as sophomore guard Clare Breden (Jerseyville, Ill./Jerseyville) led the way offensively for McKendree with nine points and she added five rebounds and four assists. In addition to Breden's nine points, junior forward Naomi McDaniel (Attica, Ind./Parkland CC) tallied eight points and had six rebounds, while Taylor, Fortune and junior forward/center Kristyn Mitchell (Collinsville, Ill./Illinois Central) each had six points for the Bearcats.
 
McKendree trailed 13-2 in the opening six-plus minutes of the first quarter as the Warriors, who are members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, en route to leading 18-8 after the opening 10 minutes of play. All eight of McKendree's points in the first quarter came from the free throw line as they were 8-for-8 at the line in the quarter, but was just 0-for-8 from the field.
 
The Warriors lead ballooned to 12 points at 20-8 following a lay-up from Ava Sergio just 57 seconds into the second quarter to give WSU a 20-8 lead.
 
McKendree would finally get their first made field goal of the game on a 3-pointer from junior Christy Fortune (Appleton, Wis./Appleton West) with 7:35 left in the second quarter to cut Winona's lead to 20-13. Foutune's trey helped ignite a 12-7 run by the Bearcats to pull within two at 27-25 following a lay-up from junior guard/forward Maclayne Taylor (Ogden, Ill./Lincoln Land CC) with 45 seconds left in the second period.
 
Winona, though, would take a 28-25 lead into the locker room at the half after Alex Dornfeld made 1-of-2 free throws with 20 seconds left. McKendree outscored Winona, 17-10 in the second period.
 
After missing its first eight shots from the field, the Bearcats were 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from the field in the second quarter to finish the first half shooting 28.6 percent from the field (6-for-21). The Bearcats were also 12-for-13 (92.3) percent from the line in the opening half.
 
Winona opened the third quarter by scoring eight of the first nine points to push its halftime lead to 36-29 with 6:14 remaining in the period. The Bearcats, though, began to chip away at that lead as they responded with a 10-2 run capped by a fast break basket by Breden with 3:10 left in the period to give the Bearcats a 39-38 lead. The lead was the only one of the day for the Bearcats.
 
The lead was shortlived by the Bearcats as Vanessa Alexander and Dornfeld drilled 3-pointers within 52 seconds of one another to give the Warriors a 44-39 lead with 1:57 left in the period.
 
McDaniel would score on lay-up just 29 seconds into the fourth period to pull the Bearcats within three at 44-41. Following a lay-up by Caitlin Riley to give WSU a 46-41 lead, Fortune would drill her second trey of the game with 8:57 left to cut Winona's lead 46-44.
 
The two teams would then trade baskets, before Winona closed the game on a 14-2 run following a lay-up by Mitchell with 6:05 remaining that brought the Bearcats within two at 50-48. The only points scored by McKendree during the Warriors' closing run came from McDaniel on a lay-up with 3:30 left. The lay-up made the score 58-50 in favor of WSU.
 
Dornfeld led the way offensively for Winona with a game-high 18 points and added 10 rebounds, while Riley scored 15 points and Sergio added 13 points in the win.
 
For the game, McKendree shot 33 percent from the field and 23.5 percent (4-for-17) from the 3-point line. Meanwhile, Winona finished the game shooting 51 percent from the floor and 40 percent (8-for-20) from the 3-point line.
 
McKendree won the rebound battle, 28-27 and each team committed 14 turnovers in the game. The Bearcats held a 16-11 edge in points off turnovers.
 
Winona State also held a 32-20 edge in points in the paint, but McKendree got 17 points off it its bench thanks to the six from Mitchell, five from redshirt freshman guard/forward Maci Meyer (Hubertus, Wis./Hartford), four from junior guard Erin Golden (Batavia, Ill/Batavia) and two from freshman forward Alyssa Powell (Troy, Ill./Alton Marquette Catholic).
 
The Bearcats will conclude the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic on Sunday, Nov. 20 with a 1 p.m. game against Rogers State (Okla.) University. Rogers State faced tournament host Quincy in Saturday's second game.