TACOMA, Wash.—A 16-point run in the second half gave the Puget Sound women's basketball team new life Friday night against No. 13 George Fox, but the Logger offense ran cold in the final four minutes of the game and Puget Sound fell 74-61 to the Bruins at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.

The visiting Bruins opened up a 12-2 lead in the first 4:43 of the game, but the Loggers regrouped to score the next three buckets and come within one at 12-11. The stretch was spurred on by Amanda Forshay, who scored seven of the Loggers' first 11 points of the night. Puget Sound kept up with the Bruins for the next five minutes, staying within two until the 7:45 mark of the first half when George Fox scored seven in a row to take a nine-point lead.

Puget Sound again responded, getting buckets by Katy Ainslie and Emily Sheldon to come within three with three minutes left in the half. Unfortunately the Logger offense went cold while the Bruins got hot and George Fox ended the half with a 13-point run to take a 41-25 lead into halftime.

The Loggers came out of the break calm and composed, and eventually they caught fire. After treading water for four and a half minutes, Puget Sound scored 16 straight in three and a half minutes to tie the game at 49. Ainslie scored nine of those points while Forshay netted the tying jumper in the paint at the 10:22 mark of the second half.  Also scoring during that run was Alexis Noren and Erin Stumbaugh.

George Fox responded to the tie, scoring the next six points to re-establish their lead. The Loggers brought that lead down to three, then back down to two after Forshay drained a three with two seconds left on the shot clock. The Bruins countered with a three-ball of their own to re-take a five point advantage. Two minutes later, Sheldon netted another three-pointer to bring Puget Sound within two at 63-61.

That would be the closest Puget Sound could come, however, as the Bruin defense kept Puget Sound without a bucket in the final four-plus minutes of the game. George Fox netted two buckets in the next two minutes and made seven of eight free throw shots in the final 1:03 of the game to escape with a 74-61 lead.

"I think in the second half we had a better sense of composure," said Puget Sound head coach Loree Payne on the difference between the two halves. "During that run we were able to compose, get some stops on defense, and score some buckets. Things were just flowing for us during that time, but you can't have 22 turnovers against a team the caliber of George Fox and expect to win the game."

Forshay led all scorers with 27 points Friday night, equaling a career high set earlier in the year versus Lewis & Clark. Ainslie hit 11 points, nine of which came in the second half. She did lead the Loggers with nine rebounds, however. The guests saw four players score double-digits with Megan Arnoldy leading the way with 15. As a team, the Bruins outshot Puget Sound 45.6.3% to 39.4% from the field and 38.5% to 29.4% from beyond the arc. George Fox also reached the free throw line 27 times, making 17 of them, as opposed to Puget Sound's four free throws on five attempts.  

With the loss and a Lewis & Clark upset of Whitworth, the Loggers (15-9, 8-7 NWC) fall into a tie with the Pioneers for fourth place in the Northwest Conference. Fourth place and the final NWC tournament qualifier will be decided on the final night of the season. Puget Sound hosts RECORD Pacific at Memorial Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 22, while the Pioneers welcome undefeated and No. 2 Whitman to Portland, Ore.  

Saturday's game against Pacific will be the final game at Memorial Fieldhouse for two Puget Sound players, seniors Taylor Jones and Kristine Miller. The women's basketball program will also honor three-year team manager Julia Fishman during the pre-game ceremony for all three seniors.