LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. -- Kutztown went without a field goal for more than five minutes to start the fourth quarter as a 41-40 lead turned into an 18-point hole in an eventual 65-58 season-opening setback Friday night at Lincoln (Pa.) in the CIAA/PSAC Challenge.

Freshman Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) scored all eight of her points and Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) had four as the Golden Bears tried to mount a furious comeback in the game's final minutes, but could only get as close as seven by the time the horn sounded.

Both teams struggled to fill the basket early, with KU shooting just 22.7% (5-of-22) in the first half and Lincoln an even colder 19.2% (5-of-26). All five of the Golden Bears' field goals in the first half came from 3-point range, including a pair by Derr, to help the visitors take a slim 21-19 lead to the locker room.

The offenses came alive in the third, when the two teams combined for 41 points, more than the 40 they scored in the first 20 minutes. Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) supplied all seven of her points in the back-and-forth quarter as no team led by more than four points.

Derr's layup with 2:02 left in the period put KU (0-1) up 41-38, but it marked the beginning of a dry spell that would ultimately prove to be the Golden Bears' undoing. The Maroon and Gold didn't score again in the quarter, and despite taking a one-point lead to the fourth, only got a Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) free throw through the opening five minutes and change of the final stanza.

In total, Kutztown went 7:10 without a field goal. The Lions (1-0) suddenly couldn't miss, resulting in a 22-1 run that left the Golden Bears staring at a 60-42 deficit with less than five to play. Lincoln hit its first seven shots of the fourth quarter and added four free throws during the run.

Derr had a team-high 15 points for KU on 5-of-17 shooting (3-of-7 3FG). Freshman Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) was also in double figures with 13 in her regular season debut. Zerman had a team-leading five rebounds, while Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Tarabocchia each had six points.

Kwanza Murray led all scorers with 22 points for the Lions and DeAshia Young had 10 and seven boards. Lincoln shot 60% (15-of-25) in the second half, including 4-of-5 from deep.

Kutztown concludes play at the CIAA/PSAC Challenge on Saturday at 4 p.m. against St. Augustine's.