NEWBERG, Ore. - Opening up the Northwest Conference season
against the defending conference and national champions, the Puget
Sound Loggers nearly got the win, falling to the 16th-ranked George
Fox Bruins , 65-62, in overtime in a NWC women's basketball game on
Saturday in Newberg, Ore.
The Bruins took the early lead on a pair of baskets by Hannah
Munger but the Loggers quickly got back into the game, taking a
lead with 11:24 to play in the first half on a three-pointer by
Jocelyn Riordan (Lake Forest Park, Wash./Shorecrest). Puget
Sound pushed the lead to four points with 4:52 left in the opening
period but George Fox scored five unanswered points to take a four
point lead of their own. After the Loggers briefly retook the
lead with 33 seconds left, Laura Silva hit a three-pointer with
four seconds left to go to give the Bruins a 27-25 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Loggers retook the lead and held on for
the first part of the half, pulling ahead by six points with 11:33
left to go. The Bruins retook the lead on a pair of free
throws from Elise Kuenzi with 7:48 left to play and the two teams
would trade baskets for much of the way. The Bruins held a
one-point lead heading into the final seconds but freshman Lindsay
Layland (Homer, Alaska) hit a free throw with just ten seconds left
to play to tie the game at 56 and force overtime.
In overtime, the Loggers and Bruins continued to trade
leads. George Fox took the lead for good on a layup by Munger
with just 19 seconds to play and the Loggers couldn't answer at the
other end of the court as a pair of free throws following a last
second foul gave George Fox the 65-62 overtime victory.
The Loggers were led by 20 points and five steals from Claire
Ely (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate). Riordan finished with
13 points in the losing effort. The Loggers were solid from
the charity stripe, making 16 of 19 attempts for 84.2%.
The Bruins were led by 13 points from Keisha Gordon.
Munger finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win while
B.B. Gardner chipped in 10 points.
The Loggers return to action on Sunday afternoon when they
travel to McMinnville, Ore. to take on Linfield.
