SEGUIN, TEX. --- The Pacific Lutheran Women's Basketball team took on the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs in their first game of their Texas road trip, taking down the Bulldogs 50-47 thanks to last-second heroics from former Northwest Conference Rookie of the Year Sydney Reisner.
 
The Lutes came out firing as they got out to an early 10-0 lead for the second consecutive game of the early season. Sophomore Sydney Resiner made two threes and a lay-in to count for eight of the Lutes first 10 points. The shooting went cold for both teams from there out as the Lutes defense held the Bulldogs to just four points in the first quarter. The Lutes lead 12-4 after one.
 
In the second half the Bulldogs began to wake up on offense, making two threes during an 11-0 run to take a 22-18 advantage over the Lutes. The two teams traded layups but the Bulldogs ended the half on a 4-0 run featuring a last-second bucket to take a 28-23 lead into the half.
 
Junior Ashley Akamine made the first three-point bucket in the third, cutting into the Bulldogs lead. But this basket was the lone basket for the Lutes in the third, as the Bulldogs went on yet another 7-0 run following the Lutes score. The Lutes would enter the fourth facing a 35-26 deficit.
 
The combo of Reisner and junior Raylie Wardenaar came alive in the fourth, making consecutive threes to bring the Lutes back into the game. With 5:49 left, sophomore Emi Wada swished a three, giving the Lutes a 9-0 run and tying the game 35-35. Reisner gave the Lutes their first lead of the game on the next possession with a deep three, putting the Lutes up 38-37.
 
Senior Ava Edmonds made her biggest impact of the game to put the Lutes back on top with four minutes to play with a three-ball of her own. Following a Bulldogs, 4-0 run due to a pair of jumpers, Edmonds once again showed up big with a three to give the Lutes a 44-43 lead. Akamine also found her stride from beyond the arc, making a three with 1:11 left to play and giving the Lutes their largest lead since the first quarter, 47-43.
 
The Bulldogs would inch back to tie the game 47-47 thanks two four made free throws. With 17 seconds remaining, Head Coach Lee Aduddell called a 30-second timeout to draw up the perfect play where Edmonds would find Reisner wide-open beyond the arc, where she would drain the three-pointer with two seconds remaining, putting the Lutes up 50-47. Following a last-second timeout by Texas Lutheran, the Bulldogs were unable to comebacl as time expired. The Lutes won their second-consecutive game as Reisner's 22-points on six threes gave the Lutes the victory.
 
Reisner finished the game with 22 points, three rebounds and two assists. The sophomomre went six-for-seven beyond the arc. Edmonds, Wardenaar, and Akamine had six-points each. Edmonds lead the team in rebounds with four, while Akamine and Brandie Tobin each had four assists.

"TLU is a really good team and we knew it would come down to defense." said Head Coach Lee Aduddell following the win. "Stacie was outstanding defending their leading scorer. And offensively we made big plays. We continue to gain confidence in being able to win close games."
 
The Lutes shot 41.5% from the field and an impressive 58.3% from beyond the arc where they made a total of 14 threes. The Bulldogs lead the majority of the remaining stats, except the Lutes had 14 points off the bench that helped carry them to victory.
 
The Lutes will continue their Texas trip this week and look to extend their winning streak as they take on Concordia-Texas on Friday following Thanksgiving in Austin, Texas at 1 p.m. CST
 
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