CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The unbeaten University of Charleston women's basketball team went ahead to stay with an early burst and kept West Liberty at arm's length the rest of the way in handing WLU an 87-71 setback Saturday afternoon at Wehrle Arena.
    Coach Kyle Cooper's Hilltoppers (2-6) traded leads with the Golden Eagles (8-0) for the first few minutes but UC held the visitors without a field goal for the final 5:21 of the opening frame to take control.
    The 14-0 spurt turned a 9-8 Charleston advantage into a commanding 23-8 lead with under a minute remaining in the first quarter and the Golden Eagles maintained a double-digit edge the rest of the way.
    West Liberty hit three free throws to pull within 23-11 at the quarter break and was still within striking distance, 46-32, at the half but couldn't quite get over the hump. Charleston went on to open up a 71-47 lead heading into the fourth quarter and held off a late WLU run in coasting to its eighth straight win.
    Erykah Russell had a huge game for the Golden Eagles. The athletic frontliner had a double-double in the first quarter with 12 points and 10 rebounds on her way to a 31-point, 14-rebound afternoon. Trinity Palacio and Brooklyn Pannell joined her in double figures with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
    The Hilltoppers were paced by Olivia Belknap's 20 points with 14 of them coming in the second half. Lindsay Humbel and Jackie Kitts weighed in with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
    The West Liberty women will be back on the road Wednesday night with a 5 p.m. game at Davis & Elkins.