MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat College women's basketball team competed in its first matchup since the holiday break, taking on the Union Commonwealth University Bulldogs in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup on Saturday. The Cavaliers came up short against the Bulldogs via a final score of 69-54. As a result of the contest, the Cavs now sit at 5-9 overall (3-5 AAC), while Union improved to 4-11 (3-5 AAC) on the year.
  
As the game got underway, points for either team were hard to come by, with both defenses playing lights out to start the contest. The first points for the Cavs came from the free-throw line as Ania Sands converted a pair following a steal. The defensive prowess of Sands continued as she grabbed another steal to set up a clean jumper from Laila Harvey, giving Montreat a 4-0 lead with a little over six minutes left to play in the quarter. 
 
The Bulldogs began to build momentum and find their rhythm on offense, while the Cavaliers struggled to find connections at the basket. Union went on a 12-0 run to finish out the quarter, holding a 12-4 lead, with the Cavs hoping to find their groove in the ensuing period. 
 
Montreat began the second quarter with a determined effort to close the gap. Ayanna Varela came up with a steal and fast break layup early in the frame to try and jump-start the Cavaliers' offense. Sarah Williams knocked one down from deep at the halfway point of the quarter to cut the Bulldogs lead to six at 17-11. 
 
The Cavs continued to show life with Bayleigh Winkler contributing significantly with crucial scoring under the basket, including a layup and a jumper, both assisted by Sands. Montreat outscored Union 17-16 in the quarter, which was capped off by a jumper from Williams in the closing seconds. Heading into the halftime break, UCU held a 28-21 lead over the home team. 
 
Coming out of the intermission, it was clear the Cavaliers knew they needed to start chipping away at their deficit. Rymiah Sanders converted an and-one early on. The contest marked Sanders' 13th consecutive game recording double-digit points, showcasing her consistent scoring ability. However, the Bulldogs responded with a series of scoring plays, extending their lead to 15 at the halfway point of the third quarter (41-26).  
 
As the period progressed, the Cavs struggled to maintain their offensive rhythm, despite a couple of 3-pointers from Sanders and one from Ella Kate Walraven. Union was ultimately able to ratchet up its defensive pressure and capitalize on turnovers. The frame concluded with Montreat trailing, as the visitors led 52-38 going into the final quarter. 
 
The Cavaliers opened the fourth period with continued persistence to not give up. With just over six minutes to play, the Cavs created a 9-0 scoring run, highlighted by a layup in the paint from Sanders and a shot from beyond the arc from Williams. The spurt cut Union Commonwealth's lead down to single digits, 58-49. 
 
In the closing minutes, Montreat continued its offensive pursuit with Williams hitting another triple at the 1:21 mark. However, the Bulldogs capitalized on fast breaks and maintained their momentum. The AAC clash concluded with Union winning 69–54. 
 
The Cavaliers finished the game shooting 32.8 percent from the field (21-64 FG) and 27.3 percent from deep (6-22 3-pt FG). Defensively, they held Union to shooting 52.9 percent overall (27-51 FG) and 55.6 percent from three (5-9 3-pt FG). The Bulldogs held a narrow edge in rebounds (36-35) while also having the advantage in assists (15-11) and steals (17-7). 
 
Williams led the Cavaliers with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, and contributed five rebounds. Sanders added 14 points. Winkler recorded a team-high seven boards while also having eight points. Harvey dished out a squad-best six assists and added four points, while collecting four rebounds. Sands chipped in with six points and made all four free throws, while also recording two steals. 
 
Looking ahead, Montreat will face Brenau University on Wednesday, Jan. 7 in a road AAC matchup. The contest is set to tip off at 7 p.m. in Gainesville, Ga.