By Jake Bilyeu, PLU Sports Information Student Writer
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Pacific Lutheran women's basketball team returned to the court Monday afternoon with a 62-49 win over UC Santa Cruz in their first game at the CLU Thousand Oaks Inn Classic.
Pacific Lutheran scored the first six points and never looked back, leading for all but the first seven seconds of play and building a 25-point advantage in the second half. The win improved the Lutes' record to 4-5 and provided a boost to a team that hadn't played in more than a week.
"The break was a great reset button both physically and mentally," PLU head coach Jennifer Childress said. "The players looked fresh and had a genuine excitement to get back into competing."
Junior Lacey Nicholson helped shake off any potential rust early on, scoring the first six points of the game on consecutive layups and two free throws. She scored 10 of the Lutes' first 13 points and finished the day with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Three-pointers by Kaelyn Voss and Madison Green-Hayward helped PLU hold an 18-12 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Megan Abdo and Ionna Price helped the Lutes fully take control in the second quarter, as they combined for 14 points in the quarter. Kristin Sturdivan added two three-pointers late in the period, as the Lutes outscored the Banana Slugs 23-12 in the second quarter to increase their lead to 17-points at the half.
"During our big second quarter, we had a couple freshmen stand out," Childress said. "Kristen Sturdivan hit a couple big threes, and Anna Hurd played great defense!"
After the offensive explosion of the first half, the Lutes focused on the other side of the ball in the second half. The PLU defense disrupted UC Santa Cruz in the third quarter, limiting the Banana Slugs to six points, and had enough offensive production to boost the Lutes' lead to 25, their largest of the game.
UC Santa Cruz used an 8-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to try to pull back, but the Lutes never let the Banana Slugs pull closer than 11 points back as they closed out the 13-point win. Abdo finished with a game-best 15 points, while Price scored 11. Michaela Edgers grabbed a career-best 14 rebounds for the Lutes as PLU out-rebounded UC Santa Cruz 48-to-41.
"Our post play was a definite positive both offensively and with rebounding," Childress said. "UCSC was a very physical team, and we held our ground."
The Lutes will finish up the CLU Thousand Oaks Inn Classic Tuesday at 4 p.m. against tournament host Cal Lutheran. From there, they'll face Occidental at 12 p.m. on New Year's Eve before returning to Northwest Conference play in January.
