SIOUX CITY -- Even without their head coach in tow, the Morningside College women's basketball team chalked up win No. 1 of the 2009-2010 season Tuesday night, downing Grand View 79-63 at the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center.

Jamie Sale, Morningside's head coach, was forced to sit out the game after being ejected during a 93-82 loss at Dickinson State last Saturday. A new NAIA rule states that any player or coach ejected from a game (in any sport) must sit out the next contest.

Junior transfer Tanaeya Worden scored 22 points and handed out seven assists for the defending NAIA national champions, who lost their first two games of the season at Minot State (103-94 in overtime) and Dickinson State. The Mustangs were No. 1 in the preseason ratings.

Jill Bodammer, Sale's top assistant, called the shots on Tuesday and actually moved to 2-0 as a head coach. Bodammer filled in for an ailing Sale a couple of seasons ago and also orchestrated a victory.

"We knew we needed a win, because to go 0-3 would have been tough," said Bodammer. "They came out and practiced hard yesterday. They flew around on defense, which was our problem over the weekend.

"We changed a few things on our defense and we're going to keep it changed for a little bit and hopefully we can add some things. We really talked to them about pressuring the ball and they did a real good job with that."

Senior Katie Sponder came off the bench to score 13 points and grab five rebounds for the Mustangs while Brittany Williamson was also in double figures with 10 points. Williamson, a 6-foot senior from Ruthven, Iowa, went over 1,000 points for her career with a basket at the 6:59 mark of the second half.

Amy Vos, one of three freshman who saw extensive playing time for Grand View, scored 19 points and snared 12 boards in a reserve role. Freshman Jennifer Jorgensen, Iowa's 2008 Miss Basketball and the second-leading all-time scorer in Iowa five-player history, added 17 points while senior Bailey Schechinger had 11 points and nine caroms.

Worden, a former North High all-stater who played on the 2007 state championship team, looked quite comfortable in her home debut. The 5-6 guard played one season NCAA Division II Southern Illinois and last season at Division II Christian Brothers.

"This is the first time my family has gotten to see me play in a long time, so it was nice," said Worden, who made 9 of 16 shots from the field. "We knew we were struggling defensively so we just had to somehow come together and pick it up and be ready to get a win in this game.

"Defense is the biggest problem we have right now, but once we get it figured out, I think we'll be real good."

Morningside went on a 9-0 spurt with just over seven minutes left in the first half and wound up leading 41-34 at intermission. Grand View was still within five points six minutes into the second half, but the Mustangs reeled off seven unanswered points, pushing the cushion back to 57-45. The Mustangs' biggest lead came at the 6:21 mark when Sponder canned a three-pointer to make it 72-53.

Grand View, playing its season opener, made 20 of 25 free throws and outrebounded the Mustangs 38-34.

"We were real tentative and didn't do the things we were supposed to be doing and allowed them to get in it," said veteran Grand View Coach Garey Smith. "If you look at the volume of time we were playing three freshmen, they will learn. It's just a matter of getting them calmed down and getting them to do what they are supposed to do."

The Vikings get a rematch with Morningside on their home court on Nov. 13.

Morningside takes on Mount Mercy at 7 p.m. Friday and No. 3 Davenport at 3 o'clock on Saturday in the Morningside Classic.