TACOMA, Wash. – The Puget Sound women's basketball team finished strong to defeat the George Fox University Bruins 64-60 on Friday night in Memorial Fieldhouse. 

Sophie Nilsson led the Loggers in the victory capturing a game-high 22 points going 8-of-12 from the field adding a nine boards and two blocks. Freshman Autumn Hill impressed the crowd on the defensive end with four blocks and nine rebounds. Paige Gerhart scored in double-digits for her 7th game in a row, adding five boards and Katie Minnehan finished with four steals, four assists, five boards, and eight points. 

The game went scoreless for the first minute until Nilsson pulled up for a three-point play, then she drowned a jumper to start a 10-2 run. The Loggers defense was tenacious holding the Bruins to just four points in the first five minutes of play. However, the Bruins stepped it up and went on a seven point run that ended with the Loggers leading 17-14 to finish the first quarter. 

The Loggers and Bruins paced each other well going point for point for most of the second period. The Bruins narrowed the deficit to just one going into halftime. In the first half, the Loggers had a much more aggressive defense grabbing 22 boards and five blocks compared to the Bruins 13 rebounds. 

The third period was a similar fashion to the first half until Gerhart hit consecutive 3-pointers with 2:08 left in  the period. The Loggers pushed for their largest lead of the game 53-43 at 7:51 left in regulation maintaining a steady lead until the Bruins went on an 8-1 run that gave them a 2-point advantage. It was touch-and-go in the last 38 seconds, but the Loggers 15-19 free-throws proved vital to accomplish the win. 

The teams finished with five ties and only two lead changes. Puget Sound scored 22 points off the bench. 

The Loggers face Linfield University next Friday, Feb. 2 in Memorial Fieldhouse at 6 p.m.