ST. PAUL – Talk about a debut. Freshman Amy Berglund (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) went 11 of 14 from the field for 24 points and seven rebounds in her first game wearing a University of Northwestern jersey, helping the Eagles defeat Carleton College 74-60 in both teams' opening game of the 2014 season. UNW built up a 12-point edge at halftime and led by as much as 24 in the second half before settling at a 14-point win.

Northwestern found itself trailing midway through the first half as Carleton broke ties of 8-8 and 10-10 to lead 15-13. UNW pushed back though as sophomore Tiffany Stubbs (Ames, Iowa/Des Moines Christian) sparked the Eagles with a three-pointer to put the Purple and Gold in front, but only in a temporary way as the Knights came back to knot the score at 20 points apiece. After each team continued to trade baskets, Northwestern went on a 14-0 run over the final five minutes of the period to give itself a nice cushion at the break. UNW was able to establish a presence under the hoop, scoring 24 of its 39 points in the paint with six of them coming from second chance opportunities.

The momentum continued into the second half with Regan Cooper (Pella, Iowa/Osseo), another newcomer for Northwestern, made three straight layups to put the Eagles up 45-27. Berglund and Chanel Madson (Westbrook, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) – the only starter returning from last year's NCAA Tournament team – paired up for seven points midway through the period to put the gap at 22 before Rachel Hart (Elgin, Minn./Home School) drained both of her free throw attempts at the 9:03 mark to make it a 24-piont buffer. Carleton put together an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 13 with 6:09 to play, but the Knights wouldn't get any closer than 12 points before the buzzer sounded.

Northwestern shot 58.8 percent in the game – better than any of the team's 28 games throughout all of last season – making 30 of 51 attempts from the floor including a 14-of-27 clip from outside the three-point line. Carleton was held to 38 percent shooting, with the Eagles owning a 15-rebound advantage on the glass.

Behind Berglund's 24-point night was three other double-digit performances by Madson, Cooper, and Campbell. Campbell, Cooper and Hart all had at least six rebounds for head coach Aaron Kahl's Eagles.
 
Now 1-0, Northwestern heads up Snelling Avenue for another nonconference contest and the Eagles' first road game of the year as Bethel University will host UNW on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m.