GEORGETOWN, TEX. --- The Pacific Lutheran Women's Basketball team completed their Texas holiday trip as they defeated the Southwestern Pirates, 53-37, and earn the sweep after players three games in the last four days.
 
The Pirates struck first with the first points on a layup to go up 2-0 but the Lutes answered right back with a 8-0 run featuring four different scorers. The Pirates began to fight back in the first quarter, tying the game at 13-13, but junior Raylie Wardenaar drained a three with 40 seconds left to give the Lutes a 16-13 lead after one quarter.
 
Wardenaar opened up the second quarter with yet another deep ball, putting the Lutes up 19-14. The Pirates climbed back with a 6-0 run of their own to tie the game at 20-20. Both offenses cooled off the final four minutes of the first half, but sophomore Sydney Reisner made two free throws under a minute to play to give the Lutes a 23-21 advantage at the half.
 
The Pirates took their first lead since they lead 2-0 at the start of the game, with a three pointer in the first minute of the third quarter. But junior Ashley Akamine stayed strong from beyond the arc with a three to put the Lutes back on top, then added a jumper to put the Lutes up 28-24. Southwestern climbed back once again, only trailing 32-31, before Resiner made a jumper, giving the Lutes a 34-31 lead. Junior Brandie Tobin found her stride from beyond the arc, making a three with 51 seconds remaining in the third to send the Lutes with a 37-31 lead heading to the fourth.
 
The group of Akamine, Wardenaar, Reisner gave the Lutes their largest lead with a 9-0 run in the fourth to lead 46-33. The Pirates scored four-straight with a layup with 1:48 remaining in the game to make the score 46-37. But from here the Lutes would close the game out with a 7-0 run due to making seven free throws down the stretch. The Lutes Women's Basketball team win their fourth-straight game, their longest winning streak since the 2018 season, and move to 4-1 on the season.

"I couldn't be more proud of our team's preparation and performance this week." Said Head Coach Lee Aduddell. "Today was all about finding a way to win. It was our third game in four days and when things weren't clicking, we just kept working. Our defense is what ultimately allowed us to pull away."
 
Wardenaar continued to make a large impact for the Lutes offense, leading the Lutes with 13 points, five rebounds, and one assist. Akamine trailed with 12 points of her own and also had five rebounds. Four Lutes scored double-digit points on Saturday including Reisner and Tobin with 10 each. The Lutes made 13 free throws to the Pirates nine. The Lutes also outshot their opponents from the field with a 32.7% and from three with 31.6%.
 
The defense made a large impact in extending the Lutes win streak, forcing 28 total turnovers and scoring 17 points off those turnovers. As a team, the Lutes had 35 total rebounds, featured by 10 on the offensive side.
 
The Lutes took to extend their winning streak when they return to the Pacific Northwest to face NWC opponent Linfield in McMinnville, Ore. on Friday at 6 p.m.
 
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