TACOMA, Wash. - Freshman Kelsey McKinnis (Ashland, Ore.) scored
20 and senior Player of the Year Claire Ely (Walnut Creek,
Calif./Northgate) went for 18 as the 13th-ranked Puget Sound
Loggers advanced to the NWC Championship game for the fifth
straight season, defeating the Whitworth Pirates, 68-55, in a
Northwest Conference women's basketball semi-final on Thursday
night at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
Puget Sound (23-3) got the first basket on a jumper by Ely just
one minute into the game and the Loggers never looked back, leading
the remaining 39 minutes. The lead hit double-digits at the
12:41 mark in the first half as the Loggers took a 12-2 run and
Puget Sound would push the lead to 15 points with nine minutes left
in the first half as the maroon and white took a 29-18 lead into
the break.
In the second half, the Loggers managed to push the lead to 19
points before Whitworth turned to the three-pointer to stay in it.
The Pirates managed to hit six of 13 from behind the arc in
the second half but the Loggers answered back with six of their own
as they played their way into the conference championship game with
a 68-55 win.
Puget Sound was led by the 20 points from McKinnis, who finished
five of seven from the field, including four of five from
three-point range, and six of six from the charity stripe. Ely
added the 18 points to go with eight assists and three steals while
sophomore Jocelyn Riordan (Lake Forest Park, Wash./Shorecrest)
collected the double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Whitworth was led by 13 points from Cassie Pinkinton and 12 from
Liz Horiatis. Leah Pomante chipped in 11 points in the losing
effort. The Bucs turned the ball over just 14 times, compared
with 15 for the Loggers, but were outrebounded, 34-23.
The Loggers now head down to Newberg, Ore. to take on
fifth-ranked George Fox in the Northwest Conference Championship
game. It will mark the fourth-straight season that the
Loggers and Bruins will play for the conference automatic qualifier
and the fifth straight year the Loggers have reached the title
game. Tip-off with the Bruins is set for 7:00 pm at Wheeler
Sports Center in Newberg, Ore.
