HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — Aaliyah Collins scored 21 points and a dominant second-quarter surge propelled the High Point women’s basketball team to an 82-69 victory over Merrimack on Wednesday night at Qubein Arena.

The Panthers remained undefeated on the young season, improving to 3-0, while the Warriors fell to 1-2.

High Point seized control of the game with a staggering 31-point second quarter, completely flipping the momentum after a slow start. The Panthers entered the period trailing 28-26 but outscored Merrimack 31-13 over those 10 minutes to take a commanding 57-41 lead into halftime. The Warriors never fully recovered from that decisive run.

Collins, a 5-foot-6 guard from Snohomish, Washington, was the catalyst, adding four steals and three assists to her game-high point total in 30 minutes of action. Her defensive pressure was a key component of High Point’s game plan, which forced Merrimack into 26 turnovers. The Panthers converted those miscues into 24 points.

Chana Paxixe of High Point provided a strong all-around performance with 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Peyton Gerdes also chipped in 14 points for the Panthers, who shared the ball effectively, tallying 16 assists as a team.

Merrimack was led by Lydia Melashenko, who scored 21 points, all of which came from beyond the arc as she connected on seven three-pointers. Madison Roman recorded a near double-double for the Warriors with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Mia Fiore also added 14 points and eight boards.

Despite a valiant fourth-quarter effort where Merrimack exploded for 29 points, the hole dug in the second quarter proved too deep. The Warriors shot 45.5 percent from the field but were hampered by their ball-handling and a significant disparity in points in the paint, where High Point held a 52-30 advantage.

The Panthers’ efficient offense was on full display as they scored 82 points on 81 possessions, while Merrimack managed 69 points on 79 trips. High Point’s defense was equally impactful, racking up 16 steals and five blocks.

A crowd of 738 watched as High Point continued its perfect start, while Merrimack looks to rebound in its next outing.