CINCINNATI (Interstat) — In a season-opening upset, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks outlasted the Cincinnati Bearcats 88-85 in a back-and-forth women’s basketball thriller Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena.

Lehigh, which entered the game as a significant underdog according to Interstat’s ELO system, withstood a prolific shooting performance from Cincinnati’s Mya Perry to secure the road victory. The game featured 12 lead changes and was tied on nine occasions, with neither team able to build a double-digit lead.

The Mountain Hawks set the tone early, erupting for 24 points in the opening quarter to take a six-point lead. Cincinnati responded with a 27-point second quarter, fueled by its efficient three-point shooting, to take a 45-48 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was a mirror image of the second, with both teams again scoring 27 points, allowing the Bearcats to maintain their narrow three-point advantage heading into the final period. Lehigh’s defense tightened in the fourth, holding Cincinnati to just 13 points while scoring 17 of their own to claw back for the win.

The game was ultimately decided by key performances and critical plays down the stretch. Lehigh’s Jessie Ozzauto led all scorers with 25 points and added seven rebounds. Teammate Whitney Lind was equally formidable, contributing 26 points and five rebounds. The backcourt duo of Gracyn Lovette and Lily Fandre facilitated the offense, with Lovette dishing out nine assists and Fandre adding five.

For Cincinnati, Mya Perry put on a shooting clinic, finishing with 31 points on the strength of her long-range accuracy. Reagan Jackson provided strong support with 21 points. Despite shooting a blistering 55 percent from three-point range as a team, the Bearcats were outscored 44-28 in the paint and committed 16 turnovers, which led to 19 Lehigh points.

A critical sequence in the final minute saw Lily Fandre draw a foul and sink two clutch free throws to extend Lehigh’s lead. Cincinnati had a chance to tie on its final possession, but a blocked three-point attempt as time expired sealed the victory for the Mountain Hawks.

Lehigh begins its season 1-0 and will travel to face Fairfield on Saturday. Cincinnati starts 0-1 and looks to rebound Friday at Penn State. An announced crowd of 814 was on hand for the opener.