Despite facing double-digit deficits in both the second and third quarters, the Woodland girls basketball team worked its way back into the game and had a chance to win its season opener on Tuesday.

The Lady Wildcats, however, let a few opportunities slip through their hands and lost to Paulding County at home, 49-44.

"(We) had some not very smart fouls at the end, had an out-of-bounds play that blew up in our face, but we fought back," Woodland coach Colman Roberts said. "I'm proud of 'em."

Even after an errant Lady Wildcats pass went beyond the reach of Lacey Fritz -- who fouled out going for the loose ball -- Woodland could have cut the lead to one point but still trailed by just two, 45-43, following Casey Bucy's free throw with 32.3 seconds remaining.

After a flagrant foul and another Lady Wildcats foul, the Lady Patriots extended their lead to 48-43 and held on for the five-point win.

"They're very good," Roberts said of Paulding County, which featured two 6-foot-1 post players in senior Courtney McKenzie and sophomore Jennie Vernet.

Woodland took advantage of a back-door play to get back in the game in the fourth quarter, the Lady Patriots' length wound up taking away that go-to play.

"They made an adjustment," Roberts acknowledged. "We had a couple of plays that weren't very smart, but that's what (we) are gonna work on (Wednesday)."

The Lady Wildcats got balanced scoring, with Olivia Rutledge leading the way with a team-high 11 points, Bucy scoring nine and Lyrica Solomon and Kennedy Robinson adding eight.

Paulding County's McKenzie erupted for 25 points, flexing some coast-to-coast ball handling to go along with her inside game. She also finished with 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Vernet added nine points, 18 rebounds and two blocks for the Lady Patriots, while Tyri Spencer chipped in with six points.

Woodland hung tight with Paulding County in the first quarter as Bucy knocked down some open shots in a six-point quarter.

Solomon's free throws near the end of the quarter trimmed the lead to 11-10.

Following Rutledge's made free throw with 7:01 in the second quarter, the Lady Wildcats yielded a 12-0 run before Robinson's free throws brought the score to 23-13 with 50 seconds remaining in the half.

Lauren Siniard's offensive putback cut the lead to six points, and Woodland went into halftime down 23-17.

The Lady Wildcats couldn't continue the momentum, with the Lady Patriots increasing the lead to 31-19 before Rutledge got hot for Woodland, scoring six of the game's next eight points.

Rutledge, however, picked up her fourth foul of the game pressuring the ball and had to sit at the 1:41 mark of the third quarter, which the Lady Wildcats ended trailing 35-28.

When Rutledge re-entered the game near the midway point of the fourth quarter, the game was still in reach for Woodland as the senior guard knocked down a 3-pointer to bring the score to 44-41.

Unfortunately, the Lady Wildcats -- who shot 11-for-23 from charity stripe -- would miss some free throws down the stretch and never could grab the lead.

"Every time we called a time out, that's exactly what I told 'em: 'We're trading baskets. We can't do that.' ... We gotta get better right there," Roberts said about his team's free throw deficiencies.

Woodland travels to Marietta to face Walker at 3 p.m. Saturday.