OWENSBORO, Ky. — After falling behind by seven points in the opening quarter, the Midway University women's basketball team responded with a strong performance over the final three quarters to defeat Montreat College (N.C.) 87-69 on Friday evening in the Brescia Classic.
The Eagles outscored the Cavaliers 70-45 over the final three quarters, using a balanced offensive attack and aggressive defense to secure their first victory of the 2026-27 campaign.
Midway opens the season at 1-0 under fourth-year head coach Kylee Gorbee, while Montreat falls to 0-1.
Four Eagles finished in double figures, led by Jermyra Christian and Alexys Moore, who scored 17 points apiece.
Christian also collected 10 rebounds to record a double-double in the season opener, while Moore contributed five assists and a game-high six steals.
First Quarter
Montreat came out strong in the opening quarter, shooting 45 percent from the field while holding Midway to just 27.3 percent.
The Cavaliers were led by Sarah Williams, who scored nine points in the opening 10 minutes.
Despite six points from Morgan Cross and five from Christian, the Eagles struggled to find their offensive rhythm.
Montreat finished the quarter with a 24-17 advantage, putting Midway in an early seven-point deficit.
Second Quarter
The Eagles responded in the second quarter, turning up their defensive pressure and limiting Montreat to just 10 points.
Midway held the Cavaliers to 21.4 percent shooting in the period, including an 0-for-2 mark from beyond the arc.
The Eagles began finding success offensively, shooting 40 percent from the floor while connecting on all six of their free-throw attempts.
Midway outscored Montreat 22-10 in the quarter, erasing the seven-point deficit and taking a 39-34 lead into halftime.
The Eagles' defensive effort proved critical in the turnaround, as Midway forced turnovers and created additional scoring opportunities.
Third Quarter
Midway carried its momentum into the second half, producing its highest-scoring quarter of the contest.
The Eagles poured in 26 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and connecting on 10 of their 13 free-throw attempts.
Midway continued to pressure the Cavaliers defensively, forcing turnovers and converting them into points on the offensive end.
The Eagles outscored Montreat 26-18 in the third quarter, extending their advantage to 65-52 entering the final period.
Midway's lead reached as many as 20 points during the quarter as the Eagles took control of the contest.
Fourth Quarter
With a 13-point advantage entering the final 10 minutes, Midway maintained its offensive efficiency to secure the season-opening victory.
The Eagles shot 50 percent from the field in the fourth quarter, connecting on eight of their 16 attempts.
Midway also knocked down two three-pointers in the final period after making just one through the opening three quarters.
The Eagles outscored Montreat 22-17 in the fourth to complete the 87-69 victory.
Inside the Box Score
Christian led the Eagles with a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The senior also recorded four assists and four steals while shooting 6-of-15 from the field.
Moore matched Christian with 17 points, adding five assists and six steals. The junior finished 5-of-12 from the floor and connected on six of her eight free-throw attempts.
Cross provided an efficient offensive performance, recording 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. The junior guard also collected six rebounds, three assists and five steals.
Alexis Taylor rounded out Midway's double-digit scorers with 15 points, shooting an impressive 5-of-6 from the field while adding four rebounds and two blocked shots.
Off the bench, Annabelle Babb and Aubrey Randolph contributed six points apiece, while Taryn Morris added five.
As a team, Midway shot 40.5 percent from the field, connecting on 30 of its 74 attempts. The Eagles also finished 24-of-33 from the free-throw line for a 72.7 percent clip.
Defensively, Midway forced 28 Montreat turnovers while committing just 15 of its own.
The Eagles converted those turnovers into 36 points, compared to just eight points off turnovers for the Cavaliers.
Midway also held a 54-40 advantage in points in the paint and outrebounded Montreat 46-40.
The Eagles finished with 21 steals, 16 assists and five blocked shots.
Montreat was led by Sarah Williams, who scored a game-high 22 points while adding four steals. EK Walraven, Bayleigh Winkler and Mariia Fedoseeva each contributed eight points.
Looking Ahead
Midway will conclude its opening weekend at the Brescia Classic on Saturday, Oct. 24, when the Eagles face Mission University.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern at the Moore Center Gymnasium in Owensboro, Kentucky.
The Eagles will look to complete an undefeated opening weekend before continuing their nonconference schedule.
About Midway University Athletics
Midway University competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and its 29 athletic teams are part of the River States Conference, Mid-South Conference, Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association and USA Archery. For more information about Midway University Athletics, please visit www.gomidwayeagles.com or contact Tyler Beck at 859-846-5366.
