With four new starters, the Central College women’s basketball team displayed some veterans’ poise, roaring back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 59-55 season-opening victory at Grinnell College Thursday night.

Junior center Kendall Brown steadied the young Dutch with her fourth career double-double and a team-high 20 points with 11 rebounds. Freshman Jenna Clark, one of three starters playing her first collegiate game, weathered some inconsistent outside shooting and put up 17 points. Sophomore point guard Cynthia Rangel, who missed her freshman season due to injury, added four assists and a pair of clutch free throws to seal the victory with 10 seconds left.

Central endured a 3-point opening quarter and a 4-point third quarter and still secured the win.

Central makes its home-season debut Saturday, meeting Millikin University (Ill.) for the first time since an NCAA Division III tournament match-up in Decatur, Illinois in 1995. Game time is 2 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. It’s the season opener for the Big Blue, coming off an 8-17 season.