SPOKANE, Wash. — Sydney Reisner dropped a season-high 24 points and was one of four Lutes in double figures but it wasn't enough to erase a sluggish start as the Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team was edged 73-65 by host Whitworth University in a Northwest Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon. 

The Lutes outscored the Pirates 35-33 in the second half but it wasn't enough to bite into the lead the Pirates (3-14, 2-6 NWC) established early in the game. Whitworth scored the game's opening seven points and led wire-to-wire after PLU misfired on its opening seven shots of the day. PLU narrowed the gap to a single point at 12-11 off a Lilli Williams layup with 2:47 left in the first quarter but Whitworth answered with 19 of the next 24 points, installing a 15-point lead with 6:28 left before halftime. The Lutes sliced the lead down to single digits on two occasions but the Pirates took a 40-30 lead into the halftime break.

A Reisner free throw with 2:08 left in the third quarter pulled the Lutes (1-16, 0-8 NWC) to within two but Whitworth responded with the final eight points of the period, heading into the fourth with a double digit buffer. The Pirates led by at least seven for the entire fourth quarter to hold on for the win.

"Our offense was excellent today and Sydney was a big part of leading that. In a game when every possesion matters, we didn't do enough to force tough shots or secure rebounds," said Head Coach Lee Aduddell.

Reisner shot nine-for-17 from the floor and finished one point shy of a career-high after dropping a season-best 24 points. It is Reisner's third game this year scoring over 20 points and inches the senior closer to the 1,000-point milestone that's currently just 40 points away. Kate Wooten nearly had a double-double, scoring 10 points and hauling in seven rebounds while Williams, and Emi Wada both managed 10 points. Ghadir Ramadan collected eight points and had four rebounds.

PLU outshot the Pirates, shooting 50 percent (24-for-48) for the game, including a blistering 77.8 percent (seven-for-nine) in the fourth quarter. 

PLU remain on the road next weekend, facing Lewis & Clark College on Friday night. Tipoff in Portland is set for 5:30 p.m.