Women's Basketball | 12/4/2016 3:55:00 PM

Box Score FAIRMONT, W.Va. – A 7-minute scoreless drought midway through the opening half proved too much for the West Liberty University women's basketball team to overcome here Sunday afternoon as Fairmont State pulled away to an 81-62 win at Joe Retton Arena.
After a fast start had propelled the Falcons (4-3, 2-2) to a 25-12 lead, a 3-pointer from WLU's Brandi Beader closed the gap to 25-15 with 1:10 showing on the first quarter clock.
Unfortunately for the Hilltoppers (1-7, 1-3), they wouldn't dent the scoreboard again until McKenna Shives drained a 3-pointer with 3:56 left in the first half but it was too little, too late.
Fairmont had taken advantage of West Liberty's offensive struggles to reel off 15 unanswered points and open up a 40-15 lead.
The Black and Gold never stopped fighting, trimming the deficit to 47-29 at intermission and getting it down to 60-44 heading into the third quarter, but ultimately ran out of time.
Beader hit a career-high 5 3-pointers to lead West Liberty with 15 points. Shives joined her in double-figures with 10 points while also chipping in with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Makenzie White had 26 points and 12 rebounds – both game-highs – to lead the Falcons, who also got 12 points from Deidra Combs and 10 more from Emily Puskarich.
The Hilltoppers return to action on Saturday with an 11 a.m. exhibition game at NCAA Division I Liberty (Va.) before resuming regular-season play at home on Dec. 13 with a 5:30 p.m. tilt against Salem International.