HENDERSON, Tenn.--The game was within two possessions going into the fourth quarter, but the 24th-ranked Lady Lions pulled away in the fourth to win 63-57. 

Cumberland falls to .500 on the season with the loss at 7-7 and 0-1 in Mid-South Conference. The Phoenix shot just 38% from the field, but were efficient from deep going 5-of-8 from three. CU also went 14-for-18 from the line. 

Kayla Gordon led Cumberland in scoring finishing with 20 points, her third 20 points game of the season. Gordon finished 6-of-13 from the field with four rebounds. Maddie Brillhart scored 10 points all in the first half with two made threes. Lindsey Freeman was the only other Phoenix in double figures at 11 points. Freeman went 4-of-12 from the field. 

Freed-Hardeman finished the game shooting 49% from the field and ended 6-of-16 from three. Rachel Satterly led the Lady Lions in scoring with 15 points. Satterly had just two points towards the end of the third quarter before catching fire and leading the Lady Lions to the win in the fourth. Kaylee Odom and Elli Chumley each had double-figure points with 11 and 10.

The defense started the game strong for the Phoenix picking up two shot clock violations on Freed and drawing a charge. The defensive efforts helped Cumberland to a 4-3 lead at the first break with 4:57 left in the first. 

The second half of the first quarter saw a lot more action as Cumberland got going after an offensive rebound and a putback from Goehring. After the Phoenix got up 7-4, Freed-Hardeman went on a 4-0 spurt to tie the game and from there the game went back and forth with four lead changes in the first. Freed-Hardeman led 16-14 going to the second. 

The second quarter Cumberland got it going from three as they knocked down four triples. Freeman and Brillhart each hit two as Brillhart scored eight in the quarter as Cumberland outscored Freed-Hardeman 17-12 to take a 31-28 lead in the half. 

Freed-Hardeman scored the first two baskets of the to regain the lead, but Gordon quickly answered. After back-and-forth action in a slow scoring quarter, Cumberland led 39-38, but the Lady Lions scored the final four points of the quarter for a 42-39 lead going to the fourth. 

The Lady Lions used that momentum from the third and scored the first four baskets of the quarter to put Cumberland in a 10-point deficit 49-39 on a 12-0 run. Cumberland got back within five points at 55-50, but a basket and a three from Satterly put Freed back up 10 with 1:47 to play. 

The Phoenix made a push with a couple of stops and turnovers, but ran out of time as Freed-Hardeman would win the conference opener, 63-57. 

Cumberland will be at home this Saturday to take on No. 3 Campbellsville at 1:00 p.m. in the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena.