Megan Dorney and Quincy McDeid each scored 12 points to lead the Whitworth women's basketball team to a 61-55 victory over Colorado College Saturday afternoon at Reid Arena in the season opener for both teams.
 
CC's McKenzee Gertz led all players with 17 points, including 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range, and 10 rebounds.
 
Gertz hit a 3-pointer midway through the first period to give the Tigers a 9-7 lead, but Courtney Gray and Dorney hit back-to-back field goals to give the Pirates an 11-9 advantage and they never trailed again.
 
Gertz made another 3-pointer with 2:45 remaining in the second quarter to cut Whitworth's lead to 28-22, but Jordan Smith hit a jumper with 1:19 left in the half and Morgan Winder scored four points in the final 49 seconds for a 34-22 halftime lead.
 
The Pirates extended their lead to 19 at 46-27 with 5:50 left in the third quarter after a six-point run, including three from a Gray and a long-range shot by McDeid. The Tigers rattled off the next eight points, sparked by three-pointers from Mia Thurber and Gertz. Another 3-pointer from Gertz and a layup by Rosie Braley late in the period cut the lead to 48-40.
 
Gertz' final long-range shot of the game made it 50-44 just 90 seconds into the fourth quarter and Nia Duplain connected on a layup with 3:50 remaining to cut it to 54-50, but Sydney Abbott and Macey Morales each hit from behind the arc to put the lead back at 10 with less than two minutes left in the game.
 
Colorado College Notes
Braley posted 13 points and four rebounds in her first collegiate game.
Anna Fanelli led all players with eight assists.
Duplain finished the game with six points and six rebounds.
The Tigers shot 40% (20-50) from the field and 50% (9-18) from three-point range.
 
Whitworth Notes
Abbott, Smith and Morales each scored eight points.
Abbott and Morales each had a team-high four assists.
Gray led the Pirates with seven rebounds.
The Pirates forced 25 turnovers and had 14 steals.
 
Up Next
The Tigers travel to Atlanta, Ga., next weekend to face the University of Lynchburg on Saturday, Nov. 16 and Emory University on Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Emory Tournament.