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Jan. 6, 2009
Lutes Play Complete Game, Set Defensive Record in Win Over Loggers
PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran limited the visiting Puget Sound Loggers to 36 points, the fewest in the 60-game history of this rivalry, in recording a 69-36 Northwest Conference women's basketball victory on Tuesday night in Olson Auditorium.
The Lutes' win ended their four-game losing streak to the Loggers and also improved their record to 3-0 in the Northwest Conference, good for first place in the standings. The Lutes, 9-3 overall, have a half-game lead over nationally ranked and unbeaten George Fox (11-0), which is 2-0 in conference play. With the defeat, Puget Sound falls to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
Prior to tonight's game, the previous low-point total by a Puget Sound team against the Lutes was 41 points, that coming in a 78-41 PLU win during the 1999-2000 season and a 57-41 Lutes victory the following year.
The game started out as the anticipated defensive battle. Baskets were hard to come by for both teams in the early going, with Puget Sound taking an 8-6 lead on a Karen Chase layup six minutes into the contest.
The Lutes got the lead back on their next trip down the floor when Emily Voorhies converted a layup and foul shot with 13:41 left to play in the first half. That play started an 11-0 Pacific Lutheran run, culminated by a three-point play from Trinity Gibbons, putting the Lutes on top 17-8 with 10:33 remaining. PLU would never again trail.
Pacific Lutheran added to its lead in the closing minutes of the half as Jordan Westering hit a pair of three-point field goals and a jumper, followed by another three-ball from Jen Sorensen. Nikki Scott scored six straight points to help the hosts build a 35-15 lead. Scott, who had five assists and five rebounds in the first half alone, hit a jumper, stole the inbounds pass and hit a layup, and then knocked down a pair of free throws. When Melissa Richardson hit a foul shot with four seconds on the clock, the Lutes had a 36-15 lead, which they took into the intermission.
While the Lutes were shooting 50 percent (14-of-28) from the field in the opening half, the Loggers made just 21 percent of their shots (6-of-29). Karen Chase, who tallied seven points and eight rebounds in the opening period, picked up three fouls in the first 20 minutes.
The Lutes added to their margin in an anticlimactic second half, eventually taking a 37-point lead at 65-28 on a three-point play by Meghan Dowling with 1:23 left to play.
While the Lutes cooled off in the second half and finished the game shooting 42 percent (25-of-60) from the field, the Loggers stayed cold through the contest and ended up at 21 percent shooting (12-of-57). They made their last two three-point shots after missing their first 10 tries from beyond the arc.
Pacific Lutheran also dominated in the rebounding department with 50 boards, including 14 by Voorhies, to 37 by the Loggers, including 11 from Chase.
Chase was the only Puget Sound player in double-figure scoring, finishing with 10 points.
Voorhies and Gibbons both scored 11 points and Melissa Pixler added 10 in a balanced PLU attack that saw 10 of the 13 Lutes end up in the scoring column. Scott finished the game with six points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a team-high 29 minutes of action.
Both teams return to Northwest Conference action this weekend, the Lutes playing at Pacific on Friday night and the Loggers playing at George Fox on Saturday.
- PLU -
