Winston-Salem, N.C. — November 11, 2025 — After opening the season with three consecutive road contests, the Carolina University Women's Basketball team returned home for their long-awaited home opener on Tuesday evening, hosting Rio Grande (OH) inside Williams Gymnasium. The Bruins battled through four quarters but ultimately fell 108–53 to a sharp-shooting Rio Grande squad that improved to 3–0 on the season.
Rio Grande came out hot from the opening tip, shooting over 60% in the first quarter and building an early lead the Bruins couldn't overcome. Carolina showed resilience in the second quarter, putting up 17 points behind strong efforts from Sy-Marieona Williams and Dearia Page. Williams and Page each finished with 10 points to lead the Bruins offensively, while Mya Smith contributed 8 points and a team-high 8 rebounds. Jakyiiah Willis and Samantha Soto added 7 points apiece, with Soto also connecting on one of Carolina's two three-pointers in the contest.
Despite the loss, the Bruins showed flashes of intensity and energy throughout the night. Carolina battled on the glass, pulling down 36 rebounds against a physical RedStorm front line, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities to the tune of 16 points.
Head Coach Hannah Latiolais reflected on the effort following the game:
"We're continuing to grow through every possession," said Latiolais. "Our focus right now is on building our identity — bringing energy, being aggressive, and playing with pride. The scoreboard doesn't define the work we're putting in. We'll take what we learned tonight and use it to fuel us as we move forward."
Carolina (0–4) will look to regroup and capture its first win of the season as it continues the early non-conference stretch.