MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team came away with the victory over the Missouri Southern State Lions, 69-59.

Northwest Missouri State (6-0) picked up its first conference win of the season over Missouri Southern. Molly Hartnett led the Bearcats in scoring with 14 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 1-of-3 from the three-point line. Hartnett scored 11 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter, Lindsey Kelderman led the Bearcat offense by notching the team's opening seven points of the game. Despite shooting 5-of-15 from the field in the first quarter, Northwest only trailed 15-11. 

Peyton Kelderman nailed a three-pointer in transition to spark a 5-0 run to start the second quarter. Laini Joseph buried another three-pointer to give Northwest a 23-17 advantage when the final U5 timeout reached. 

At the break, Northwest led 29-26. 

The second half featured a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. Hartnett knocked in a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left to give the Bearcats their largest lead of the game (69-59).

Northwest shot 47.1 percent from the field and 42.1 from deep range. 

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m. against Pittsburg State.

Northwest's 6-0 start is the school's best start to a season since a 7-0 mark in the 1997-98 year.

Best Starts in School History
20-0 - 1983-84
9-0 - 1978-79
8-0 - 1990-91
7-0 - 1971-72
7-0 - 1997-98
6-0 - 2023-24