Kristen Hayes sank four first-quarter 3-point field goals to help stake UMS-Wright to a 21-14 lead after one period Tuesday night and the Mobile private-school team went on to hand Spanish Fort a 59-46 girls basketball defeat on the Lady Toros’ home court.

Hayes scored 14 points before heading to the bench in the final minute of the first quarter after picking up her second personal foul. She sat out the entire second quarter, but returned in the second half to direct the UMS-Wright offense.

The Lady Bulldogs, who led 32-23 at halftime, stretched their lead to 49-33 entering the fourth quarter. Christine Palou scored five points and Sara Gilmore and Madison Plash tallied five points each in the third stanza to help UMS-Wright pull comfortably ahead.

Plash scored eight more points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 22 points to lead UMS-Wright to its 13th win against four losses. Spanish Fort dropped to 12-6.

Hayes finished with 16 points and Gilmore 10 for UMS-Wright. Felicia Smith tallied 22 points for Spanish Fort. No other Lady Toro reached double figures.

Operating smoothly and efficiently, UMS-Wright went 7-for-11 from the floor in the first quarter including Hayes’ 4-for-5 effort outside the 3-point arc. The Lady Bulldogs committed just one turnover in the first quarter.

Another first-quarter plus for the Lady Bulldogs was their offensive rebounding that helped them overcome Spanish Fort’s 6-for-10 first-quarter shooting. UMS-Wright converted three of its four offensive rebounds into seven points.

For the game, the Port City team outscored Spanish Fort 19-8 on second-chance points and 12-11 on points off turnovers. UMS-Wright finished with 12 turnovers, eight less than the Lady Toros.

A Hayes 3-pointer on the game’s first possession gave UMS-Wright a lead it never relinquished. Two free throws by Plash gave the Lady Bulldogs a 19-10 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter.

Back-to-back baskets by Smith closed the gap to five points and it could have been closer but she missed a free throw after she drew Hayes’ second foul with 54 seconds left in the first quarter..

Terra Reeves’ layup 33 seconds into the second quarter pulled Spanish Fort to within five points again, but UMS-Wright answered it with a 7-0 run. The Lady Toros could get no closer than seven points the rest of the game. The Lady Bulldogs built their lead to 22 points on three occasions in the fourth quarter.

On Thursday night, however, the Lady Toros bounced back to defeat baldwin County High’s Lady Tigers 60-32 avenging a tournament loss to BCHS last weekend.