TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team utilized a balanced scoring attack to erase an early double-digit deficit to take down Northwest Conference rival Whitworth University 80-71 on Saturday afternoon inside Olson Gymnasium. 
 
PLU (9-10, 4-6 NWC) got off to a rocky start with the visiting Pirates (10-9, 3-7 NWC) surging to an early 10-0 lead three minutes into the game. The Lutes fought back over the next four minutes, mounting a 14-3 run with a Toni Thibert layup with 3:22 in the opening quarter giving the Lutes their first lead of the game.
 
Whitworth led 20-18 after one quarter of play but the Lutes piled on seven straight to open the second quarter, taking a 25-20 lead on a Kylie Rademacher layup. The Pirates would retake the lead with 1:49 left before halftime but Pacific Lutheran tallied six of the final eight points in the half, taking a 38-35 advantage into the locker room. 
 
Back-to-back treys ballooned the Lute lead to eight early in the third but Whitworth wouldn't go away, heading into the fourth with a 55-54 advantage. That advantage would prove fleeting with PLU scoring 14 of the opening 16 points in the fourth to build a double-digit edge. PLU's lead would remain at least six the rest of the way, closing out the homestand having won three of the four games.
 
Taylor led the Lutes with 16 points, hitting four treys on the day while Megan Drake added 15 points and a team-best six rebounds. Rademacher added 12 points and four steals while Emma Janousek had a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. 
 
PLU finished the game shooting 51.7 percent (30-for-58) from the field, including a blazing 61.5 percent (eight-for-13) in the final quarter of action. The pesky Lute defense forced 22 Whitworth turnovers and held a 29-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
The Lutes head to Oregon on Friday, facing George Fox University at 6 p.m. in Forest Grove.