TACOMA, Wash. - A 14-4 run midway through the third quarter tipped the scales in favor of visiting Evergreen State College on Wednesday night as the Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team ended on the wrong end of a 67-56 scoreline in a non-league clash inside Olson Gymnasium.
 
The host Lutes (3-5) trailed by as many as 13 points in the opening half but were able to chip away at the Geoduck lead, tying the game on a Kasidy Javernick three-pointer with 6:11 left in the third quarter. Evergreen State (3-4) responded over the never five minutes, reclaiming a double-digit lead after scoring 14 of the next 18 points. Another Javernick trey closed the gap to single digits as the Lutes headed into the final stanza down 47-40. 
 
Another rally wasn't in the cards for PLU only able to close within six in the fourth as TESC held on for the 11-point win.
 
PLU got off to a rocky start, conceding 12 of the opening 13 points after misfiring on its first 12 shots in the game. The Lutes trailed 14-8 after one quarter of action before outscoring the Geoducks in the second, closing within a point on a Stacie Spahr free throw and trailed 28-25 at the halftime intermission.
 
Javernick paced the Lutes with 15 points while also grabbing three steals while Ava Edmonds tabulated her first double-double of the season, dropping 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Spahr had nine points and six boards while Josie Napoli tallied a team-high seven assists.
 
PLU shot just 29.7 percent (19-for-64) for the game while the Geoducks hit 41.4 percent (24-for-58) of their chances. 
 
The Lutes are back on the hardwood on Saturday afternoon, heading to Kirkland to face in-state rival Northwest University. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m.