ISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Golden Eagles struggled to see buckets fall, shooting 32.8% from the field in a 67-61 season opening loss at Bethel. CU could not find the bucket in the fourth quarter, going six minutes without a point. Cornerstone used a full court press to cut the deficit to three in the final minutes but were unable to complete the comeback in a loss that drops them to 0-1 on the year. Next up is the home opener vs. Spring Arbor on Saturday at 3 p.m. 
 
Game Flow:

• In search of their first field goal in the 2022-23 season, CU took a while to find the bucket as Stephanie Ainsworth scored the first field goal off the bench five minutes into the game. The bucket put Cornerstone behind five at 10-5. 
• The two teams went over a minute without a bucket after that. 
• Freshman Jaxi Long hit a big three with 2:16 to play in the first quarter that sparked a Golden Eagle run to end the first quarter as they trailed 18-12 after one. 
• Cornerstone started the second quarter on an 8-0 run, capped off by an and-one three from Maddison Fulks that was converted to take their first lead of the game, 20-18. 
• The threes started to fall for both sides in the second, as Bethel and Cornerstone traded the lead throughout the period. Kennedy Helderop hit a three with 2:46 left in the half to put CU on top 31-30. 
• The Pilots ended the half on a 9-0 run to lead 40-31 at the break. 
• In the third quarter Maddison Fulks hit a huge three to start things, but Bethel immediately responded with a three of their own to keep the lead at nine. 
• A pair of free throws gave BU their largest lead of the game at 11 with 6:50 to go in the period. 
• The full court press helped Cornerstone chip their way back into the game as Stephanie Ainsworth and Jaxi Long each got easy layups to put Cornerstone back within four at 48-44. 
• Bethel's Taylor Pasquale hit a three with 2:18 to go in the third to put them back up by seven. Cornerstone responded with a pair of free throws to trail by five, 51-46 entering the fourth quarter. 
• The buckets refused to fall for Cornerstone in the fourth. Bethel scored the first four points of the period to go on top by nine. A timeout was called by Bethel with 5:44 to go and CU had still yet to score in the fourth quarter. 
• Head Coach Jessica Yonkers used her first timeout of the fourth quarter after Maiah Shelton scored for Bethel to increase the lead back to the largest of the game at 57-46 with 4:28 to go. CU still could not find the bucket as they remained scoreless in the period. 
• Stephanie Ainsworth put the first bucket in for the Golden Eagles in the fourth quarter at the 3:52 mark. 
• A huge three from Maddison Fulks put Cornerstone right back in the game. Her shot cut the Bethel lead to 59-53 with 2:18 to play. 
• Despite a great press from the Golden Eagles, Bethel was able to survive to win the game. Cornerstone cut the deficit to as low as three but would fall 67-61 in the season opener. 

 
By the numbers:
35-26 – Cornerstone was outrebounded by nine on the game, 35-26. 
6/3 – Cornerstone saw only six three balls fall with three of them from Maddison Fulks. 
23 – CU was called for 23 fouls in the season opener.

What's next? 
Cornerstone heads back to Grand Rapids for the home opener vs. Spring Arbor at 3 p.m. on Saturday following the women's volleyball match vs. Concordia. 
 
Women's Basketball Contact: Jesse Campbell
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