PORTLAND, Ore. – Concordia used a 20-2 second-half run to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit in winning its first game of the season, 96-86 over Simpson Saturday afternoon at Cavalier Gymnasium.

With the win, Concordia improves to 1-3 on the season.

The Cavaliers maintained a slight lead for most of the first 14 minutes of the game, but 17 first-half turnovers helped Simpson pull ahead by double-digits in the final six minutes before halftime. The teams’ up-tempo style of play led to a combined 104 points as Simpson led 57-47 at the break.

Four Red Hawks posted at least 10 points in the first period, highlighted by Kylie Shaw’s 15 points. Shaw also led both teams with five rebounds and four assists in the half. Danielle Clauson (Edmonds, Wash./Kings H.S.) led Concordia with 16 points and four rebounds before halftime.

Concordia stormed back midway through the second half, using a 20-2 run to take a 78-68 lead with 7:30 remaining in the contest. The Cavs had tied the contest 66-66 on a pair of Traci Thompson (Salem, Ore./South Salem H.S.) free throws at the 11-minute mark, part of a 12-point streak for Concordia. Megan Padilla (Sacramento, Calif./Christian Brothers H.S.) gave CU its first lead since the first period with a layup at 10:08.

Sarah Eischen (Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro H.S.) and Clauson fouled out during a 24-second stretch with about four minutes remaining in the contest and the Cavs nursing an 87-74 lead. Simpson whittled the deficit to eight at 94-86 with 47.7 seconds remaining, and a CU turnover gave the Redhawks the ball. But Tiffany Johnson fouled out on a charge at the other end of the court to give CU possession with 43 seconds left. Two more Concordia free throws sealed the deal for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers finished the contest with 30 turnovers, but the Cavs shot 53 percent (34-of-64) from the field and 85 percent (23-of-27) from the free throw line to earn the comeback win. Simpson finished with a 45.6 shooting percentage (31-of-68).

Clauson tallied a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds to go with four rebounds for the Cavs. Courtney May (Napavine, Wash./Napavine H.S.) scored 22, Rachel Scarpelli (Troutdale, Ore./Reynolds H.S.) added 16 and Thompson finished with 10. Five Red Hawks reached double-figures, led by Shaw’s 20 points.

Concordia returns to action Oct. 15 when the Cavaliers visit Pacific in a non-conference game scheduled to start at 6 p.m.