The Rockhurst women's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season on a winning note Monday (Nov. 9) evening, defeating Newman University 78-70 at Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, Kansas.
Tori Miller led Rockhurst with a team-high 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Samantha Campanelli followed with 15 points, eight rebounds and three three-pointers, while Keeley Steele added 13 points, five rebounds and two three-pointers. Alivia McCulla contributed eight points and six rebounds.
Rockhurst wasted little time establishing control, opening the contest with consecutive baskets from Campanelli and Miller to take a 4-0 lead. After Newman tied the game at four, McCulla scored four straight points to put the Hawks back in front.
The Hawks continued to build momentum midway through the opening quarter. Alexis Schroeder converted a layup and free throw to extend the advantage to 11-4 before Tayte Higgins added a layup to push the lead to double digits. Ella Campbell connected from beyond the arc late in the period as Rockhurst carried a 23-13 advantage into the second quarter.
Newman attempted to cut into the deficit early in the second, pulling within seven points at 27-20. However, Rockhurst responded with an offensive surge highlighted by its perimeter shooting.
Jaden Wilson knocked down a three-pointer with just over four minutes remaining in the half before Campanelli connected on back-to-back triples to extend the Hawks' lead to 38-23. Rockhurst held Newman to just 13 points in the second quarter and entered halftime with a 38-26 advantage.
The Hawks continued their strong play coming out of the break, with Miller taking control offensively. After McCulla opened the third-quarter scoring with a layup, Miller scored on consecutive possessions to stretch Rockhurst's lead to 44-26.
Miller added two more baskets later in the quarter, while Steele provided a spark with seven third-quarter points, including a three-pointer in the final minute. Rockhurst outscored Newman 20-18 in the period to take a 58-44 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Newman made its strongest push in the fourth quarter, using its outside shooting to chip away at the Rockhurst advantage. The Jets cut the deficit to 63-53 before Steele answered with a three-pointer at the and followed with a layup just 20 seconds later, putting the Hawks ahead 70-59 late in the contest.
The Jets continued to battle, with Carli Carlson connecting from three-point range to pull Newman within six at 72-66 with two minutes remaining. Newman eventually trimmed the margin to four points at 74-70 with 52 seconds left, but Rockhurst held on down the stretch to secure the eight-point road victory.
One of the biggest differences in the contest came on the glass, where Rockhurst outrebounded Newman 52-29, including a 20-6 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Hawks also held a 30-14 edge in points in the paint and capitalized on Newman turnovers, scoring 33 points off 28 Jets turnovers.
Rockhurst finished the evening shooting 39.1 percent from the field (25-of-64) and connected on seven three-pointers. The Hawks also recorded 13 assists and 10 steals, with Schroeder leading the defensive effort off the bench with three steals.
Steele shot 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, while McCulla finished 4-of-6 from the floor and added three assists. Campanelli collected five offensive rebounds to help the Hawks maintain their advantage in second-chance opportunities.
Newman was led by Alexis Martin, who finished with a game-high 22 points, while Carlson added 12 points on four three-pointers.
Rockhurst (1-0) returns to Kansas City for its home opener on Saturday (Nov. 14) looking to build on its season-opening road victory.
