TACOMA, WASH. --- The Pacific Lutheran Women's Basketball team competed inside Olson Gymnasium for the first time this season as they defeated the Evergreen State Geoducks 55-52. The Lutes were lead by juniors Taylor Schmidtke and Raylie Wardenaar each with 13 points.
 
The Lutes began the game draining threes in front of the first home crowd of the young season. Sophomore Sydney Reisner showed why she was the 2022 NWC Rookie of the Year with the first three-points of the game. Wardenaar also found her stride early, answering the call from Resiner with a three of her own followed by a quick jumper. Wardenaar capped off the 11-0 start with a second three as she was left open behind the arc.
 
The Geoducks began to answer back due to some offensive rebounds surrended by the Lutes. Evergreen State would cut into the Lutes lead before the end of the quarter as they trailed 18-12 after one.
 
The second quarter was a defensive battle on both sides as each team failed to get a clean look at the basket. The Geoducks would hit some clutch three-balls over the course of an eight-minute stretch where they went on an 11-2 run and taking a 25-22 lead over the Lutes with under two minutes to play in the half. Wardenaar found sophomore Kylie Bracy open beyond the arc where Bracy would swish the typing points. The two teams entered halftime knotted at 25-25.
 
The third began slow as neither team was able to make a bucket for the first three and a half minutes. Schmitke broke the ice and put the Lutes back on top 27-25. The Geoducks would then regain the lead with 3:49 left in the quarter due to a deep ball. Bracy hit yet another three to put the Lutes back on top before Schmitdke would go on a solo-run in the final 17 seconds of the half. The junior nailed two free throws before getting a rebound on the other end of the court with three second left. Schmitdke fired the shot from the halfcourt line and swished home the three as the buzzer sounded. The Lutes held their biggest lead since the first quarter at 38-32.
 
The two teams traded blows to start the fourth, with the Geoducks unable to cut into the Lutes six-point lead for the first five minutes. Following an Evergreen lay-in, Wardenaar cashed in a three pointer and Schmitdke followed suit as the two gave the Lutes a double-digit lead with three minutes left.
 
This is where the Geoducks would wake up, going on an 7-0 run. But with under a minute to play, Schmitdke gave the Lutes a much-needed five-point lead with a crisp jumper. With the Lutes leading by three, the Geoducks inbounded the ball for their final possession but where unable to get a shot off in time.
 
The Lutes earned their first victory of the season although they shot just 37% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Wardenaar lead the Lutes with three deep balls and five field goals. Schmidtke had a team-high eight rebounds to pair with her 13 points. Reisner trailed just behind with 12 points but made it count on the defensive end, taking three steals.
 
The Lutes will hit the road as they travel to Texas for a three-game stretch where they face Texas Lutheran University, Concordia University Texas, and Southwestern University from November 22^nd through the 24^th.
 
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