AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's women's basketball put together a dominant defensive first quarter, balanced scoring, and control of the paint to defeat the Regis Rangers 73-67 in the Hilltoppers' home opener. 
 
BAILEY FEATHERSTONE led four Hilltoppers in double figures with 16 points, four rebounds, and a pair of steals with an efficient 8-for-13 shooting performance. 
 
In the first quarter, St. Edward's played physical, lockdown defense. J.P. bumped Regis point guard Aaddison Branscum off her spots, fighting through screens and disrupting the Rangers' offense at the point of attack by limiting her to 0-for-4 shooting. KIANA BENNETT did the same against Erin Fry, and the Hilltopper defense rotated swiftly behind them. 
 
AINSLEY THUNELL started the offense with a pair of post buckets. She received a high-low pass from MIKAH CHAPMAN and utilized her quickness and length to create an angle over Taylin Serlen. Chapman filled in the gaps with six points on four shots, J.P. added six points, and the Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 14-2 lead. 
 
J.P. picked up an early second foul, and the offense stagnated some, but Featherstone steadied it with a pair of buckets off the bench to give St. Edward's a 21-10 lead after the first quarter—St. Edward's assisted five of its nine made field goals and limited Regis to 2-for-14 shooting. 
 
Featherstone and Chapman continued the momentum in the second quarter, with a pair of early buckets from Chapman and 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting from Featherstone in the quarter to put the Hilltoppers by as much as 17. However, Fry found her rhythm, slicing her way into the defense for 11 second-quarter points, and Saragoza added nine to keep Regis within 11 at 41-30 at the break. 
 
St. Edward's broke the game open again midway through the third quarter with an 8-0 run, going up 20. J.P. found Bennett for a 3-pointer, then grabbed a rebound for a fast-break layup. Chapman blocked Jessica Bollwahn, leading to a RAMSEY ROBLEDO 3-pointer from Bennett for the 54-34 lead. 
 
Regis answered with a 7-0 run near the end of the quarter, bringing the Rangers back to within 11 at 57-46. 
 
The Hilltoppers extended their lead on a 6-0 run midway through the fourth on driving layups from Bennett, Robledo, and Thunell. Robledo then answered a Dominguez 3-pointer with one of her own to keep St. Edward's up 16 with 2:25 remaining. Regis narrowed the gap to seven with a mini-scoring run from Frye, but Bennett and Chapman iced the game with free throws down the stretch. 
 
Robledo finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists, hitting three 3-pointers. Chapman was a team-high plus-19 with 13 points on ten shots, eight rebounds, and a block. Bennett added 10 points and four assists, while Thunell and J.P. scored eight each, with the latter contributing seven assists. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 1-3. The Hilltoppers will host the Colorado School of Mines tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.