SALEM, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran shot a miserable 22 percent from
the field and couldn't overcome its woeful shooting in dropping a
64-49 Northwest Conference women's basketball decision to the
Willamette Bearcats on Friday night at Cone Field House.
The Lutes (5-11 overall, 3-4 conference) made just 15-of-67 from
the field, including 4-of-15 (27 percent) from three-point range.
They did manage to pull down 26 offensive rebounds among their 43
total boards, but their inability to put the ball in the basket
proved to be their downfall on this night.
Pacific Lutheran actually took a 13-8 lead on Ayla Mull's
three-point basket a little less than halfway through the first
half, but the Bearcats (3-13, 1-6) rallied to gain the lead at
22-21 on Alex Zennan's three-point bucket with 3:40 remaining in
the opening half.
Willamette stretched its 31-25 halftime lead to as much as a
16-point advantage in the second half, 52-36, that coming on Erin
Barclay's three-point shot with 10:20 to play in the game. The
Bearcats finished the game shooting 50 percent (25-of-50) from the
field and also collected 32 of their 44 rebounds on the defensive
end.
Tracy Goehri recorded a double-double for the Lutes with 12
points and 11 rebounds, and Melissa Pixler added 12 points for the
Lutes.
Pacific Lutheran returns to action at 6 p.m. Saturday when it
takes on defending conference and NCAA Division III national
champion George Fox in Newberg, Ore.
- PLU -
