Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College women's basketball team had three players score in double figures as the Cougars posted a 64-57 victory over Westminster College (Mo.) in an exhibition contest for both teams Monday at the Arena of Southwell Complex. 
 
Lauren Friedrich and Mallory Shetley led the Cougars with 17 points each, while Lexi Miller added 12. Columbia hit 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) from the foul line and outrebounded Westminster 48-35. The Cougars limited the Blue Jays to 32.3 percent (21-65) shooting.
 
Annette Ramirez, the two-time reigning SLIAC Player of the Year, scored 10 points by hitting her first four shots from the field as Westminster built a 12-2 lead in the opening 3:20. The Cougars battled back as Miller scored eight-straight points to highlight a 12-4 run to tie the game at 16-16.
 
The Cougars scored the final six points of the quarter, including a three by Friedrich, to take their first lead at 19-16. Columbia hit 8-of-16 from field in the first quarter, including 3-of-8 from three-point range. 
 
Columbia took a 33-29 lead to half after scoring the final five points of the second quarter, including a three from Friedrich with 31 seconds remaining.
 
Miller had 10 points and Friedrich added nine as the Cougars outrebounded Westminster 25-15 and limited the Blue Jays to 37.1 percent (13-35) shooting from the field.
 
Shetley scored the first five points of the third quarter to extend the Cougar lead to 38-32. Columbia took a two-point lead (47-45) to the final quarter after limiting Westminster to 4-of-16 shooting in the quarter.
 
Shetley started fast in the fourth quarter scoring back-to-back buckets to make it 51-45, and then her jumper with 3:28 to play pushed the lead to seven (57-50). Friedrich sealed the victory with a wing three with 1:40 to play.
 
Ramirez led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting, while Avylina Powell-Qualo had 14 points and eight rebounds. Westminster opens the 2024-25 season at No. 2-ranked Wartburg on November 8.
 
The Cougars open the 2024-25 season on Saturday, November 2 at home against the University of Saint Mary in the CoMo Classic. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
 
NOTES: Columbia received four votes in the NAIA Top-25 Preseason Poll ... Interim head coach Matt Moore will lead the Cougars for the 2024-25 season ... Columbia point guard Abby Backes led all players with nine rebounds ... The Cougars had a 25-13 advantage in bench points.