LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The UALR women’s basketball team recorded the team’s first victory of the 2009-10 season with a 55-43 win over Northern Colorado in the consolation bracket of the Preseason WNIT.  The Trojans face UTEP tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the winners bracket.

Chastity Reed led the Trojans recording her second-straight double-double with 21 points and ten rebounds.  Kim Sitzmann recorded 14 points, five rebounds, and a team high six assists, while Shanika Butler contributed eight points, four boards, and a team high of four steals.

After winning the tip, UALR put the opening points on the board with a layup by Butler followed by a layup by Reed to take the 4-0 advantage with 18:06 on the clock.

Northern Colorado recorded the Bears’ first points on a jumper by Kaisha Brown at the 17:52 mark. 

Over the next minute and a half, UALR outscored UNC 8-3 including four points by Sitzmann to bring the score to 12-5.

After five-straight points by Sitzmann, the Bears recorded seven points, including five by Courtney Stoermer to cut the advantage to tie with 11:46 until the half.

Both teams exchanged points each knocking down eight, but the Trojans held the 25-18 lead.  For the remaining 4:34, neither team scored to go into the half.

The second half opened with a free throw by UNC to score the first points in six minutes.  Kursh answered back with a jumper and layup to extend the Trojan lead to 29-19 with 15:46 remaining.

Over the next three minutes, the Bears outscored UALR 6-4 to bring the score to 33-25 in the Trojans’ favor.

After five points by UALR including a three-pointer by Sitzmann at the 11:21 mark, a jumper by Stoermer for the Bears sparked a 7-0 run to cut the Trojan lead to 38-33. 

UALR didn’t score again until 6:16 on the clock when Reed knocked down a jumper and one.  Both teams recorded points with UALR keeping the ten-point lead, until the 1:50 mark with Stoermer knocked down a three-pointer.

In the remaining 1:21, the Trojans scored eight points, including six from Reed, while holding UNC to three to win 55-43.