WALLA WALLA, Wash. - One night after a disappointing loss in Spokane, the Puget Sound Loggers bounced back in a big way, knocking off the 23rd-ranked Whitman Missionaries, 69-66, in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Saturday night at the Sherwood Center in Walla Walla, Wash.

In the first half, the Loggers took the lead at about the 14 minutes mark and built it to nine points with just under eight minutes remaining.  Despite 56.5% shooting from the Loggers in the first half, Whitman was able to shrink the lead slightly, pulling within three points at halftime, 35-32. 

In the second half, the Missionaries eventually tied the game up with 12:45 remaining and the teams continued to battle.  After Rebecca Sexton gave Whitman a brief lead on a lay-up with 5:11 left in the game, junior Claire Ely (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) hit a three to give the Loggers a two point lead and UPS never looked back, collecting the three-point win, 69-66.

The Loggers were led by 16 points and nine rebounds from Karen Chase (Yakima, Wash./West Valley).  Ely added 14 points in the win while Courtney Blume (Olympia, Wash./River Ridge) came off the bench to score 11 points.  The Loggers shot 51.1% from the field in the win.

Whitman was led by a game-high 19 points from Jenele Peterson.  Jennifer Keyes came off the bench to score 12 while Hilary White added 10 points.

Puget Sound returns to Tacoma next Friday when they play host to Pacific.  Tip-off with the Boxers is set for 6:00 p.m. at Memorial Fieldhouse.

Box Score