Women's Basketball Opens Season at Tip Off Classic

Webster Groves, MO — The Blackburn College Women's Basketball team opened their 2025-26 campaign in the Webster University Tip-off Classic where they took on  Aurora University Friday night and Lake Forest College on Saturday in non-conference matchups. 

Junior Eizaenirys Allende Quinones was named to the All-Tournament Team. 

In Saturday's game against the Foresters, the Beavers fought a tough battle but fell short losing 80-67.

Senior Gabriella Solis led the Beavers with 21 points. Quinones added 18 points and four offensive rebounds while junior Cheresse Mitchell was credited with five points and led the team in rebounds with 11. Freshman Abby Borders also chipped in with six rebounds and five points. Solis, Quinones and Mitchell each ended up having three assists. 

In the first half, The Beavers took an early lead, pulling ahead 7-2 but Lake Forest responded and made the score 9-8 at the first media timeout. The Foresters continued their run through the rest of the quarter to pull ahead 22-12 after the first quarter. 

Blackburn pulled within four points in the second quarter but were unable to get closer and faced a 40-34 deficit going into halftime. 

In the second half, both teams made runs, with BC continuing to narrow the deficit within six points but the Beavers weren't able to close the gap further, eventually falling 80-67. 

Against Aurora Friday, the Beavers were bested 105-48. Aurora eventually won the classic by defeating Webster 81-47.

For the weekend, Solis averaged a team best 13.5 points while Quinones had 13. Mitchell snagged 10.5 rebounds with Solis added 4.5 and Quinones with four. Quinones also had a team best 3.5 assists per game. 

Blackburn will return to action Tuesday when they visit Hannibal Lagrange College for a nonconference matchup.