Utah Tech could not overcome a frigid start offensively as the Trailblazers opened their two-game southern road trip with a 57-51 loss at Houston Christian on Thursday night at Sharp Gym. 

How it happened 
Utah Tech (2-3) struggled to get anything to drop through the hoop all night, opening the game missing on 13 of its first 16 shots (3-of-14 3FG).
 
Meanwhile HCU could not miss in the early going. The Huskies knocked down six of their first seven from the floor on their way to an 18-10 lead after one quarter complete.
 
Things did not get any better for Trailblazers in the second quarter, during which they were held to a season-low seven points in the frame. 
 
HCU (1-3) would not fare any better, though the Huskies did just enough to take a 28-17 advantage with them into the halftime break.
 
Utah Tech's high-powered offense seemed to get back on track to begin the second half as the Trailblazers outscored HCU 13-4 to trim the deficit to 32-30 with 5:37 to go in the third quarter.
 
Chardonnay Hartley kick-started the Blazer rally with by converting a four-point play after she was fouled on a made 3-pointer. Emily Isaacson, who poured in seven of Utah Tech's 13 points in the rally, followed with a three-ball of her own to force a HCU timeout.
 
However the Trailblazers' newfound momentum disappeared as Utah Tech misfired on its final nine shot attempts of the stanza. Meanwhile, HCU closed the period with a 14-1 run to extend to a commanding 46-31 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

HCU capped the run with a Tove Caesar trey to begin the fourth quarter, before Hartley finally hit from the perimeter to stop the Blazer drought.
 
Hartley's trey did spark a 10-3 spurt that pulled Utah Tech to within 11 at 52-41 with just under four minutes to play. The Blazers would eventually pare the lead down to single digits late, but the deficit proved to be too much to overcome as the Huskies held on to post their first victory of the season.
 
Numbers to know
Hartley scored 13 of her co-game high 17 points in the second half to go along with a game-high seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. 

Meanwhile Isaacson finished with 15 points, 10 of which came after halftime, to go with eight boards, two steals and one blocked shot. 
 
Brie Crittendon led the Trailblazers with a career-high nine rebounds and tallied four points. 
 
Utah Tech wound up shooting a season-low 26.2 percent from the floor (17-of-65), though the Blazers shot 36.3 percent (12-of-33) in the second half, thanks in part to a 7-of-15 (.467) effort in the fourth quarter.
 
The Trailblazers also went 10-of-41 (.244) from the perimeter and were just 7-of-15 (.538) at the foul line. 
 
Erin Maguire led three Huskies in double figures with 17 points, while Hannah Fields was HCU's top rebounder with 11. 
 
HCU finished the night shooting 23-of-57 (.404) from the field, 6-of-16 (.375) from 3-point country, and outrebounded Utah Tech by a 47-40 margin. 
 
Utah Tech continues its road trip on Saturday when the Trailblazers head to Lake Charles, La., for a matinee at McNeese State. Tip-off inside MSU's Legacy Center is slated for 12 noon (MT).