TACOMA, Wash. - Senior Claire Ely (Walnut Creek,
Calif./Northgate) scored her 1,000th career point but it wasn't
enough to pull off the upset as the sixth-ranked George Fox Bruins
defeated the 15th-ranked Puget Sound Loggers, 60-51, in a Northwest
Conference women's basketball game on Friday night in Tacoma, Wash.
The Loggers and Bruins knew that they would be in a battle from
the very beginning as the two squads traded baskets for much of the
first period as the first 20 minutes saw 10 lead changes.
George Fox used a 6-0 run late in the period to pull ahead by
five points as George Fox took a 29-24 lead into the halftime
break.
In the second half, the Bruins began to wear down the Loggers,
taking a 10-point lead with 14:54 left to go in the period.
The lead grew to 13 before the Loggers began to chip away,
using a 9-0 run to get back within four points, including a jumper
by Ely with 7:28 for her 1000th point as the gym erupted
momentarily in celebration. The Loggers comeback effort would
end there as the Bruins found a way to make their baskets as they
collected a 60-51 win for their 29th-consecutive NWC victory.
The Loggers were led by 20 points from Ely, who now has 1,004
points in her career, which is 13th all-time on the Loggers scoring
list. Sophomore Jocelyn Riordan (Lake Forest Park,
Wash./Shorecrest) added 16 points in 39 minutes played by senior
Natasha Ludwig (Hilo, Hawaii/Waiakea) scored eight points and
brought down six rebounds. The Loggers forced 14 turnovers on
the night but converted for just nine points off the giveaways.
George Fox was led by 16 points off the bench from Arianna
Mohsenian. Elise Kuenzi added 13 points while freshman Hannah
Munger collected the double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bruins shot 43.9% from the field, including six-of-19
from behind the three-point arc.
Puget Sound will look to bounce back on Saturday evening when
they play host to Linfield. Tip with the Wildcats is set for
6:00 p.m. at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.