MIDLAND, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team opened the 2022-23 season on the road at Northwood University on Friday in Midland, Mich.

Northwood took control in the third quarter and held off the Cardinals down the stretch as SVSU fell 69-50 to open the season 0-1.

How it happened:

• An early 8-1 run put Northwood up by five points early in the first.
• Victoria Stafford hit a layup at the 6:40 mark of the first to cut the NU lead to 11-9.
• Emma Dziezgowski hit a 3-pointer later in the quarter to pull SVSU within one.
• Kaitlyn Zarycki scored three straight points to give SVSU back the lead with a minute to play in the first.
• SVSU was held to just two points through the first eight minutes of the second as NU built a 25-17 lead.
• Dziezgowski made a layup with two seconds left in the half to pull SVSU within six points at the break.
• Northwood used a 9-0 run to take control at the start of the third.
• NU outscored SVSU 22-10 in the third and cruised to the win.

Inside the Box Score:

• Zarycki led the Cardinals with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, adding 11 rebounds for a double-double.
• In her SVSU debut, Dziezgowski scored 11 points, adding four rebounds and four steals.
• Tori DePerry finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.
• The Cardinals shot 17-of-62 from the field, 2-of-20 from deep, and 14-of-18 from the line. The Cardinals outrebounded Northwood 52-33.

Up Next:

The Cardinals remain on the road to face the University of Findlay at 3 pm on Saturday in Findlay, Ohio.