RICHMOND, Ky. (Interstat) — The Eastern Kentucky Lady Colonels used a dominant first quarter to build a lead and then withstood several comeback attempts to defeat the North Dakota Fighting Hawks 57-46 in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Sunday at McBrayer Arena.

Eastern Kentucky (3-1) raced out to a 20-12 lead after the first quarter, capitalizing on a sluggish start by North Dakota (0-4). The Fighting Hawks struggled offensively throughout the contest, shooting just 26.9% from the floor and committing 27 turnovers.

The Lady Colonels were led by a balanced scoring attack. Kailani Lindsey, a forward from Wildwood, Florida, came off the bench to pour in a game-high 18 points. Guard Liz Freihofer of Union, Kentucky, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Ella Bradley, a forward from Cambridge, New Zealand, added 10 points and five rebounds.

North Dakota was paced by center Walker Demers of Grafton, North Dakota, who controlled the paint with 13 rebounds and three blocked shots to go with seven points. Forward Ava Miller from Rochester, Minnesota, recorded a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.

After Eastern Kentucky’s strong opening period, North Dakota’s defense tightened in the second quarter, holding the Lady Colonels to just eight points. The Fighting Hawks chipped away at the deficit, trailing 28-21 at halftime.

Eastern Kentucky rebuilt its lead in the third quarter, outscoring North Dakota 16-13 to take a 44-34 advantage into the final period. The Fighting Hawks could get no closer than eight points in the fourth quarter as their shooting woes continued.

Eastern Kentucky’s defense was a key factor, generating nine steals and converting 19 points off North Dakota’s turnovers. The Lady Colonels also held a significant advantage in offensive rebounds, 11-6, leading to more second-chance opportunities.

North Dakota’s offensive struggles were underscored by an offensive rating of 57.1 points per 100 possessions, compared to 69.6 for Eastern Kentucky. The Fighting Hawks were more efficient from the free-throw line, making 13 of 16 attempts, while Eastern Kentucky attempted only four free throws, making two.

The announced attendance was 281. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch on Tuesday in Grand Forks, North Dakota.