HELENA, Mont. – Katie Estey tallied a game-high 12 points and Cassidy Hashley added 11 to lead the Carroll College women's basketball team to a 59-52 season opening win over the University of Alberta Friday evening at the PE Center.
 
The Saints jumped out to an early lead building a 19-9 advantage to close out the first quarter, Jordan Johnston hit a bucket just a minute into the second quarter to push the advantage to 21-9 before the Pandas would go on a run of their own.
 
UA would close out the first half with a 19-6 run to take a 28-27 lead into the break at the half.
 
"We weren't getting the ball in the paint and we weren't rebounding," head coach Rachelle Sayers said of the second quarter.
 
Alberta hit a shot to begin the third quarter and extend their advantage to 30-27 before back-to-back shots by Johnston and Kacie Mckeon gave Carroll a lead that they would not relinquish.
 
"They are our senior leaders," Sayers said. "We're a young team, and everyone looks to them. You knew when they hit those shots we were OK."
 
The Saints took a 44-40 lead into the fourth quarter but built it up to 56-44 with 3:02 left in the game before the Pandas would cut it to 52-57 with 33 seconds left. The Saints would tally two more points on free throws from Estey and Johnston to end the game at 59-52.
 
The game was the first of the season for the Saints but the ninth on the year for Alberta. Who dropped to 7-2 on the season.
 
"I thought for playing against a team that's already played eight games we played well," Sayers said. "We moved the ball well and did a lot of nice things. I thought that was a good win against a very good team."
 
The Saints shot 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the field and tallied 12 assists on the day. They also forced Alberta into 20 turnovers, which led to 18 Carroll points.
 
The Saints dominated points in the paint 32-20.
 
Carroll hosts Mount Royal Saturday in the final home game until the Dec. 3 conference opener against Montana Tech.