WALLA WALLA, Washington – Paige Gerhart scored a game-high 18 points, and Katie Minnehan added 11, but the Puget Sound women's basketball lost at Whitman, 78-61, Saturday afternoon.

Gerhart, a freshman, shot 7-for-13 from the floor and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. She also added five rebounds, five assists, four steals. Minnehan also filled the stat sheet, finishing the night with four rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

The Loggers' (0-2, 0-2 NWC) 3-point shooting drastically improved from Friday night. Puget Sound connected on 41.7-percent (10-for-24) of its attempts from beyond the arc Saturday. Gerhart, Sophie Nilsson, and Jordyn Reverman each hit two 3-pointers.

Whitman (4-0, 4-0 NWC) raced out to a 31-17 lead through the game's first 10 minutes. Puget Sound fought back in the second quarter, A 3-pointer by Reverman cut the deficit to 41-34 with two minutes left in the first half.

Georgia Lavinder hit a trey with 25 seconds left before halftime, allowing the Loggers to get within 46-40 when they entered the locker room.

The Loggers held a brief 56-54 lead after consecutive layups by Gerhart in the second half. However, the Blues closed out the third quarter with a 7-0 run.

Puget Sound's first home game of the season is Friday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m. against Pacific Lutheran. Fans and family are not permitted to attend athletic events this year.