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SPOKANE, Wash. - The No. 24-ranked Carroll Women's Basketball team got their 2026-27 campaign off on the right foot, picking up a 55-45 win over (RV) Eastern Oregon on Saturday afternoon at the Northwest Crossover Tournament.

For the first time since the 2020-21 season, the Fighting Saints (1-0) will enter their second game of the season with a winning record following a 10-point victory over the Mounties.

The Saints struggled in the opening minutes of the season opener, but found their stride as the first quarter wore on. Shots started to fall, and Carroll would hold an 11-8 lead after one thanks in large part to their effort on the defensive end. Jillian Kanduch (Miles City, Mont. / SO) recorded three of Carroll's six first quarter steals, as the Saints held EOU to just 25 percent from the floor in the opener with eight turnovers.

The Carroll defense stiffened even more in the second quarter, limiting the Mounties to just 23 percent from the floor (3-13), while forcing another five turnovers. While no Saint recorded multiple made shots in the opening frame, reigning Frontier Newcomer of the Year Kenzie Allen (Grantsville, Utah / SR) got things rolling in the second, putting up seven points while going three of four from the field to help Carroll build a 25-16 lead at the break.

As per usual, several halftime adjustments saw the Saints come out even more poised in the third. Carroll had their best shooting frame of the afternoon coming out of the break, going 8-16 from the floor in their highest-scoring quarter of the day. Maddy Moy (Kalispell, Mont. / R-JR) was a key cog in helping stretch the lead, making all three of her shot attempts for seven points in the frame, while Kennedi Niemann (Cody, Wyo. / R-JR) and Kanduch both added three's to give Carroll a 45-29 lead with just 10 to play.

The fourth quarter was Eastern Oregon's lone frame outscoring the Saints, led by 10 points off the bench from Addy Laible. The 16-point Carroll lead would prove insurmountable, however, as Moy, Niemann, and Kanduch combined for 10 more points in the fourth to close out the win.

All said and done, the Saints shot 40 percent from the floor (23-57), while going 27 percent from range (5-18) and 66 percent at the stripe (4-6). The team will be happy with the win, but know there's room for improvement - namely in ball control with 15 turnovers in the win.

Maddy Moy scored a game-high 12 points, while also pulling down a team-high six rebounds in her Carroll debut. Niemann finished an effective afternoon with nine points and five boards, while Makayla Coleman (Bozeman, Mont. / FR) had a solid line of six points and five boards in her collegiate debut.

The Saints will wrap up the weekend tournament tomorrow afternoon, looking to beat the Geoducks of Evergreen State in their first ever meeting.