ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — The Utah Tech Trailblazers used a strong defensive effort and a balanced scoring attack to hold off a late surge from the Omaha Mavericks, securing a 62-56 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Burns Arena.

In a contest defined by defensive stands and offensive struggles, Utah Tech improved to 2-0 on the young season while Omaha fell to 1-2.

The Trailblazers built an early lead, outscoring Omaha 19-8 in the first quarter, and managed to maintain that advantage throughout the game despite a persistent challenge from the Mavericks. Omaha chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to a single possession on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter, but could never overtake the home team.

Utah Tech’s defense was the story of the game, swatting away 10 shots compared to Omaha’s six blocks. The Trailblazers also forced 14 Omaha turnovers while committing only nine themselves.

Offensively, both teams found points hard to come by. Omaha shot just 25.8 percent from the field, connecting on 16 of 62 attempts. Utah Tech was only marginally better, shooting 33.8 percent on 22-of-65 shooting. The teams combined to go 9 for 50 from beyond the three-point arc.

Omaha’s offense was carried by the duo of Cora Olsen and Sarai Estupiñan. Olsen, a guard from Omaha, Nebraska, led all scorers with 23 points and added six rebounds. Estupiñan contributed 21 points in 36 minutes of action. Avril Smith was a force defensively for the Mavericks, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking four shots.

The Trailblazers countered with a more distributed scoring effort. Kaylee Borden, a guard from Anadarko, Oklahoma, led the team with 13 points and six rebounds. Maddie Warren of Lehi, Utah, added 11 points off the bench, including a crucial three-pointer in the fourth quarter to stifle an Omaha run. Brie Crittendon of Union, Kentucky, just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Calyn Dallas of Lubbock, Texas, chipped in 10 points.

The game was ultimately decided at the free-throw line, where both teams struggled. Omaha went 20 for 32 from the charity stripe, while Utah Tech converted 13 of 23 attempts. In the final minutes, the Trailblazers made just enough free throws to keep the Mavericks at bay.

The announced attendance at Burns Arena was 552.

Omaha looks to rebound quickly, traveling to face BYU on Thursday. Utah Tech’s next contest is on the road Saturday against Weber State.