MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The defending CCIW champion and 21st-ranked Carroll women's basketball team opened their 2024-25 campaign with a 74-60 victory at MSOE Friday night. Carroll shot 52 percent (30-58) from the field, including 56 percent (14-25) in the first half. The Pioneers also out-rebounded MSOE by a 33-22 margin, while scoring more than half of their points (38) in the paint.

The game was tightly contested in the first half, which saw 14 ties and five lead changes in the first half. Preseason All-American Olivia Rangel gave Carroll (1-0) a four-point lead in the final minute with a steal and layup, before MSOE's Ella Mensen scored just before halftime to cut the lead to two.

Carroll was able to distance themselves in the third quarter, outscoring MSOE (0-1) by a score of 22-9 in the period. The Pioneers scored the first five points on a layup by Rangel and a 3-pointer from Natalie Palzkill. Carroll scored nine of the quarter's final 12 points to take a 15-point advantage into the final quarter.

Rangel led all scorers with 23 points, giving her 1,171 for her career, which moves her into seventh place in program history. She added a team-high seven rebounds and two assists in the victory. Fellow First Team All-Conference selection Natalie Gricius added 17 points and four rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Palzkill also chipped in with 11 points in 22 minutes off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting.

MSOE was led by Mahima Chokshi and Nicole Levine, who each scored nine points for the Raiders. The trio of Nina Perl, Lana Kerley, and Elly Kohl each added eight points on the night. Chokshi added a game-high six assists, while Dani Mendez led MSOE in rebounding with eight.

Carroll will try to keep things rolling on Tuesday when they'll travel to Beloit College. That game will begin at 7 p.m. in Beloit, Wis.