TACOMA, WASH. --- The Pacific Lutheran Women's Basketball team (8-3, 0-2 NWC) returned from the holiday break in dominant fashion, handling the Northwest University Eagles, 57-54 thanks to a late bucket from junior Stacie Spahr with 12 seconds remaining. 
 
Both defenses came out strong in the first quarter, as each team struggled to pull ahead. Ashley Akamine got the scoring started for the Lutes as she scored the teams first two baskets. Reisner broke her scoring drought with a three in the final minute but the Eagles quickly answered with a deep ball of their own to tie the game at 12-12 through the first quarter of play.
 
As both teams continued to trade baskets in the second quarter, neither team could get more than a one-score lead. Stacie Spahr found her stride late in the second frame, converting on three-straight layups to put the Lutes up 22-19. But one possession later, the Eagles answered with yet another three to tie the game. For the second quarter in a row, Reisner drained a three in the final minute that would put the Lutes up 27-24 at the half.
 
The Lutes offense came out of the break cold, allowing the Eagles to break off a 10-0 run and earn the largest lead of the game at 34-27. Kasidy Javernick ended the drought for PLU with a lay-in, followed by Reisner's third deep ball of the game to give the Lutes a 5-0 run late in the third. The Eagles would hit a three of their own with two minutes left in the quarter, but Javernick and Reisner would connect once again for five combined points to knot the game at 37-37 heading into the final ten minutes of the contest.
 
Northwest scored first in the final quarter, going up by three points, as Ashley Akamine tried to level the game on an and-one but missed the free throw. With under five minutes remaining and trailing by five, the Eagles left Reisner open once again from beyond the arc, cutting the Lutes deficit to two. Ava Edmonds would swish one from beyond the arc as well with three minutes remaining and trailing by three. With 2:22 remaining, Ashley Akamine drove to the basket and found the bottom of the net while being fouled on the shot; Akamine would go on to convert the three-point-play and tie the game at 48 a-piece.
 
With the Lutes in foul trouble, the Eagles would take a three-point lead once again, but with one minute remaining, Edmonds drilled her second three and tied the game up for the 13^th time at 51-51. From there, the two squads would trade free throw attempts, where the Eagles would earn a one-point advantage in the closing seconds of the game. Spahr drove to the basket and banked a layup in with 12 seconds remaining to give the Lutes a 55-54 lead. Northwest's final chance missed high, with the ball finding the hands of the Lutes. Taylor Schmidtke would ice the game with a pair of free throws and just one second remaining. With a 57-54 win, the Lutes move to 8-3 overall and 0-2 in Northwest Conference play. With an 8-1 record in non-conference play, the Lutes earn their most regular season non-conference wins since 2001-2002 when the Lutes went 8-2 in non-conference play. 
 
As a team, the Lutes shot 35% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. Resiner lead the team with 17 points, two rebounds, and one assist. Brandie Tobin had five assists while Spahr had a season-high 10 rebounds.
 
"Sometimes you have to win ugly and that's what we did today." Said Head Coach Lee Aduddell following the win. "We had to make up for poor shooting with effort plays and we were able to do just enough. Stacie Spahr was outstanding on both ends of the floor. It was her impact, not just in the final possession, that helped us win that game."
 
The Lutes will look ahead to January 5^th, 2024, where they return to Northwest Conference play against George Fox inside Olson Gymnasium at 6 p.m.
 
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