Written by Student Assistant Jake Bilyeu

TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team opened the fifth-annual Pacific Northwest Tournament with a gritty 43-39 win against Aurora University on Saturday evening inside Olson Gymnasium. The Lute defense played physically and intensely all night on route to the victory.

The low-scoring affair featured five lead changes and three ties with neither team owning a lead greater than eight points. PLU (2-5) enjoyed a 19-13 lead at the halftime intermission but visiting Aurora (3-4) battled back, tying the game at 34 on a jumper with 4:56 remaining. Kristin Sturdivan converted an and-one play to give the Lutes a three-point lead as PLU tallied nine of the next 12 points to cement the win.

The Lutes stifling defense was on full display, forcing 33 Spartan turnovers and limiting the visitors to shooting just one-for-10 from beyond the arc. Emma Janousek and Anna Hurd led the charge, grabbing five and four steals apiece. Hurd also grabbed the second-most rebounds on the team with six.

"I was very focused today, and I feel that all of my teammates were as well," said Janousek, who also finished with six points on a perfect four-for-four from the free-throw line. "We all had the desire to win, and knowing that allowed me to keep up the intensity for the whole game.

On the offensive end, the Lutes counted on Madison Salisbury to lead the starters while Kristin Sturdivan and Lauren Furu came off the bench to keep the momentum going. Salisbury was the most efficient of the bunch, hitting five of seven shots to finish with 11 points while also leading the team with seven rebounds. Sturdivan finished second on the team with seven points and Furu added six of her own.

"We brought a strong full-court and half-court defense today, and I was very pleased," head coach Jennifer Childress said. "The team was willing to go all out tonight and it showed."

Having started the weekend with a statement win, the Lutes now aim to keep their momentum going into their matchup with Benedictine University on Sunday. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. with the University of Puget Sound facing Aurora at 2 p.m.

"We can't be satisfied," Janousek said. "This win was really great for us, but we're not done, and we need to bring that pressure again tomorrow to show that we know how to win."