SANTA CRUZ, Calif.-- The No. 4/13 Wartburg women's basketball team improved to 8-0 on the season in its 75-54 win over UC Santa Cruz (2-7) Tuesday. This was the Knights' first game in the Mission Inn Classic, hosted by UC Santa Cruz.

Four players finished in double digits for the Orange and Black, as senior Katie Sommer (Cedar Rapids) led the group with 14 points. Classmates Aryn Jones (Marion) and Miranda Murphy (Alleman) each had 11 and senior Morgan Neuendorf (Plainfield) rounded out the group with 10. Jones also tied her career mark with four blocks.

Murphy, senior Abbie Haupert (Collins) and freshman Kaitlyn Volesky (Mount Vernon) all had seven rebounds. Volesky also had a career-best nine points on the night.

Wartburg used a 12-5 run over the opening four minutes and never relinquished its lead. The Knights led by as many as 31 points in the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The Orange and Black held the team advantages in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and on the glass, out-rebounding the Banana Slugs 45-25.

Wartburg concludes its California trip tomorrow when it faces Cal Lutheran at 4 p.m. (Pacific)