NEWBERG, Ore. – Senior Claire Ely (Walnut Creek,
Calif./Northgate) entered the national tournament needing just one
point to set a new single-season scoring record and she delivered,
scoring 24 points as the 15th-ranked Puget Sound Loggers held off
the Redlands Bulldogs, 54-42, in a NCAA DIII Women's
Basketball Tournament First-Round game on Friday night at Miller
Gymnasium in Newberg, Ore.
In the first half, the Loggers took the lead on a jumper by
freshman Lindsay Layland (Homer, Alaska) with 18:39 left in the
first half and never looked back. The lead hit double-digits with
7:14 left in the first period on a three-pointer by Sarah Stewart
(Burlington, Wash./Burlington-Edison). Redlands was able to go on
an 8-2 run to finish up the half but Puget Sound still held the
27-21 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Bulldogs scored the first six points to
get back within one point as the Loggers struggled to adjust to the
new end of the floor. Puget Sound eventually got on the board in
the second half on a jumper by Ely but the Bulldogs didn't
quiet their bark. The Loggers built the lead back up, going up by
10 points again with 3:31 left to play and Redlands ran out of
fight as the Loggers took the 54-42 win to advance in the
tournament.
The Loggers were led by the 24 points from Ely to put her season
total at 563 points, also adding six assists and six rebounds.
Sophomore Jocelyn Riordan (Lake Forest Park, Wash./Shorecrest)
added 19 points in the win while senior Natasha Ludwig (Hilo,
Hawaii/Waiakea) brought down nine rebounds. Puget Sound forced 20
turnovers to collect their 24th win of the season, tying their
season record.
Redlands was led by 13 points from Courtney Carroll. Ali Bueno
added 12 points while Mackenzie Smith brought down a game-high 11
rebounds, all off the defensive glass. The Bulldogs held a slight
advantage in rebounding, bringing down 40 boards compared with 37
for Puget Sound.
Puget Sound will now play the winner of the other first round game
between 17th-ranked Louisiana College and fifth-ranked George Fox
at 7:00 p.m. PST on Saturday night at Miller Gymnasium in Newberg,
Ore.
