FROSTBURG, Md. -- The West Virginia Wesleyan (0-1) women's basketball team led after three quarters and utilized a balanced attack in a close 66-63 loss to Frostburg State (2-0) in the 2020-21 season opener at Bobcat Arena in Frostburg, Md. on Sunday (Jan. 10).
 
Leaders for WVWC
Malaika Kimmons put together her fifth career double-double after scoring 11 points and hauling 11 rebounds. Cierra Tolbert ripped down a game-high 14 rebounds. Brittany Stawovy scored 11 points with six rebounds and freshman Symphonie Bryant-Brown added 10 points in her collegiate debut.
 
Leaders for Frostburg State
Morgan Dombroski scored a game-high 20 points for Frostburg State while her teammate collected 19 points and eight rebounds.
 
Team Stats
West Virginia Wesleyan outrebounded Frostburg State 54-52. FSU finished 11-of-29 from the free throw line. Wesleyan led the game for nearly 24 minutes. 
 
Inside the First Half
Bryant-Brown scored the first points of Wesleyan's season with a layup two minutes into the game. The sharpshooting senior Stawovy sank a trey from straightaway to put WVWC ahead 9-4 halfway through the first quarter. The Bobcats from Buckhannon finished a strong defensive opening frame with a 15-8 advantage. 
 
The Frostburg State offense settled in to give FSU its first lead of the game (31-30) with 36 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Wesleyan freshman Tamera Maple tallied her first collegiate points on a layup to retake the lead at 32-31 with only 18 seconds left. The contest was tied 32-32 at halftime. 
 
Inside the Second Half
Only a minute into the third quarter, Maple drilled a trifecta to hand the visitors a 35-32 edge. Both teams battled it out in the third period and with 40 seconds left, Abi Gabauer's put-back was good while she was fouled for a 49-44 lead. WVWC led Frostburg State 49-46 heading into the fourth quarter. 
 
Stawovy connected on a mid-range jumper at the 7:51 mark of the fourth as Wesleyan was out in front 53-50. After that bucket, Frostburg State ventured on a 7-0 run and attempted to take control of the game. 
 
WVWC trailed 63-61, but Courtney Wilfong made a crucial layup with 1:15 left in regulation. Shelby Funchess of Frostburg State converted on a layup with under 30 seconds to go to snag the lead back for FSU. 
 
Stawovy missed a potential go-ahead left-side 3-pointer with 11 seconds left. Wesleyan had one last chance to try to tie the game in the final two seconds of the contest but the attempt fell short. 
 
Up Next
WVWC women's basketball's next scheduled game is at Concord on Wednesday (Jan. 13). Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. in Athens, W.Va.