Box Score             Senior forward Rachel Dahlen recorded her first career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Wayne State women's basketball team to a 55-39 win over Emporia State at the NCAA Division II Central Region Showcase in St. Joseph, Missouri in the season opener for both teams.
            In the first quarter, WSC held a 6-4 lead at the 5:13 mark but was held scoreless the rest of the quarter as Emporia State built a 12-6 lead.
            Wayne State stormed back in the second quarter, outscoring the Hornets 25-11 to take control of the contest and build a 31-23 lead at intermission.
            Emporia State still held a 17-11 lead with 7:51 to play in the first half, but WSC got baskets from Dahlen and Tenleigh Smith and a 3-pointer from Kelsey Willems to lead 18-17. 
            Moments later, WSC used a 13-0 run over a span of 3:29 to turn a 19-18 deficit into a 31-19 lead.  Dahlen had a three-point play and layup while sophomore Emma Frost drained a 3-pointer and a layup to fuel the scoring run as WSC ended the first half with a 31-23 lead.
            The Wildcats maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets 13-9 to hold a 44-32 lead after three quarters.
            WSC scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter using a 3-pointer from Meg Rietz along with baskets from Kylah vanDonkersgoed and Rietz to take a 51-32 lead for the biggest advantage of the game and the 'Cats closed with a 55-39 win in the season opener.
            Dahlen's career-high 16 points and 12 rebounds for her first-ever double-double led Wayne State in scoring.  vanDonkersgoed also hit double figures with 12 points.
            Wayne State made 21 of 69 shots for 30.4 percent and hit 10 of 20 free throws.
            For Emporia State, Kaitlyn Sanders was the lone double figure scorer with 18 points.
            WSC held ESU to just 22 percent shooting on 11 of 50 from the field.  The Hornets were 16 of 20 at the charity stripe.
            Wayne State held a sizeable 56-37 advantage in rebounding with Dahlen grabbing 12 boards and Tenleigh Smith hauling in 10 caroms.
            Smith had a team-high four assists while Rietz finished with a team-leading three steals.
            Wayne State will face Northwest Missouri State Saturday at 12 p.m. in another game at the Central Region Showcase at the Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri.