Raleigh, NC---- The William Peace University women's basketball team opened their 2018-19 season at home on Saturday afternoon, taking on the Bridgewater College Eagles. After a back-and-forth duel, the Eagles stole the game with a final score of, 92-82.

The Eagles pressured defense slowed down the Pacers in the first half, forcing 19 turnovers for WPU in the first half. In the first two quarters, Mikayla Ray was an offensive nightmare down low in the paint with 15 total points. Mariah Ballen and Sophia Church also put up shots to keep the Pacer offense close to the lead. Bridgewater led for the majority of the half but the Pacers forced a tie late in the second quarter. The Pacers would benefit on the boards, out-rebounding the Eagles, 27-10 in the first half. At halftime the score was 42-34 in favor of the Eagles.

The Pacers would chip away at the Bridgewater lead in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to seven points heading into the fourth quarter. The Eagles would be led by Rebecca Harvey who scored 19 points, most of which coming late in the game. They would feature four players reaching double-digit scoring. Mikayla Ray continued her dominance in the paint with 34 points and 20 rebounds. WPU newcomer, Mariah Ballen, proved solid alongside Ray, with an outstanding 19 points and eight rebounds. Sophia Church also bounced back in the second half and had 15 total points. The Eagles went on a 4-0 run that would give them momentum in the final minutes of the game. In the last minutes, Harvey nailed a three pointer to put the game out of reach for the Pacers. Costly turnovers proved enough for the Eagles to capitalize on, as they took the game by 10, 92-82.

The Recap:

• Mikayla Ray put up her first double-double of the season with 34 points and 20 rebounds.
• Mariah Ballen playing alongside Mikayla Ray in the paint to put up 19 points and 8 rebounds.
• Sophia Church put up 15 points in 35 minutes.
• The Pacers outrebounded the Eagles 45-28.
• The Pacers also shot well from the charity stripe, going 30-39.

The Foes:

• Rebecca Harvey scored 19 points and had 5 rebounds.
• Madison Baum scored 14 and 9 assists.
• Brianna Moore and Lindsay Estes also scored 14 points.
• The Eagles had 27 points off the bench tonight.

What's Next?
The Pacers will be back in action on November 12 against Randolph College, another Old Dominion Athletic Conference Opponent. The game will take place in Lynchburg, VA at 6:00 p.m.

For the latest news and updates from William Peace University Athletics, please visit: gopeacepacers.com , Facebook , or follow the Pacers on Instagram and Twitter at @gopeacepacers.