Box Score The St. Catherine University basketball team opened the 2013-14 season with a tough 83-51 loss to perennial independent powerhouse UC-Santa Cruz at the Hampton Inn Classic Friday evening at Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, Calif. 

Despite being down by just nine points at half-time, the Wildcats couldn't find a way to slow down the Banana Slugs in the second half as they outscored the Wildcats 52-29 to hand the Wildcats' an opening season setback. 

Several new faces for the Wildcats' had huge performances to open the season on the right foot as three players reached double digits. Sophomore Gabby Zehrer (Rogers, Minn.) scored a team-high 20 points and was an impressive 9-for-11 from the charity stripe. She also was one of three players to pull in a team-best four rebounds. 

First-years Abby Torgerson (Anoka, Minn.) and LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn.) each contributed 10 points a piece. Torgerson was 4-for-7 shooting and had four rebounds and a team-best two steals, while Holt had three rebounds, an assist and a steal. 

Kristen Lee (Dawson, Minn.) and Liz Ellens (Sauk Centre, Minn.) each scored three points, while Ellens had a team-best three steals. Shauna Horsch (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) also helped on the defensive front by adding three steals. 

Leading the way for the Banana Slugs was 2012-13 Independents all-conference player Sarah Mackey who shot 50 percent from the field for a game-high 22 points. She also added a game-high four blocks and pulled in six rebounds. 

The Wildcats will face the University of Puget Sound Saturday to conclude play at the UC-Santa Cruz tournament. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m. CST/3 p.m. PST. 

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