TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- The Northeastern State women's basketball team fell to Emporia State 78-64 Saturday afternoon in the Event Center's first doubleheader of the season. It saw three freshmen set career scoring records led by redshirt-freshman Isabella Regalado who was 3-5 from beyond the arc. The RiverHawks were without sophomore early-season sensation Zaria Collins and senior guard Cenia Hayes only scored eight points. Northeastern State was unable to close out the contest and allowed the Lady Hornets to shoot 50.0 percent from the field and 42.3 from three-point land.
 
In the first quarter Northeastern State got to the free throw line making four-of-five. It went to sophomore Britney Ho, making her first start of the season, who scored six in the opening stanza. Northeastern State had its only lead of the game with 5:24 left, a single point. The Lady Hornets made 9-of-18 from the floor, but only led by a one point margin, 20-19.
 
The second stanza saw a Lady Hornets 6-0 run, but the RiverHawks recovered just down by four following 20 minutes of play. Northeastern State's leading scorer senior Shae Sanchez put an end to the run with a three-pointer assisted by redshirt-freshman Tess Talo Tomokino, one of her six assists. Sanchez finished with a season-high 17 points.
 
Coming out of the halftime break with the score 32-36 the RiverHawks punched their way to the paint until Sanchez hit a three-pointer to force an Emporia State timeout after bringing the score within one. At the end of the quarter Kali Martin was fouled by Cenia Hayes hitting one at the line, the quarter closed with the score 49-54.
 
The fourth quarter was where the Lady Hornets expanded their lead. The RiverHawks were down by 10 at 7:17, before Sanchez again ended the drought for the RiverHawks after being 1-6 from the field. Northeastern State recovered but missed all seven three-point attempts while Emporia State converted at a 60 percent clip. It closed out the game outscoring the RiverHawks by nine in the quarter.
 

Head coach Fala Bullock's postgame comments ? pic.twitter.com/1nS8L32Mo1
— Northeastern State Athletics (@RiverHawkSports) November 28, 2020
 

The Lady Hornets were led by Tre'Zure Jobe with 26 points and three other players joined her in double figures.
 
Northeastern State will be on the road the entire month of December with its next home contest January 2, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. when it hosts Washburn. The next game on the schedule is December 3 at Missouri Southern with tip slated for 5:30 p.m..
 
NOTES
Northeastern State shot it lowest percentage this season…Patrycja Pawlata (2) and Isabella Regalado (11) each scored their first career points after only seeing four seconds of play before the game…Tess Talo Tomokino led the team with seven assists, a career-high…Morgan Lee led with eight rebounds, a career-high…The RiverHawks bench outscored an opponent for the first time this season…Northeastern State had 12 to Emporia State's three fast break points.