WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The Loggers battle to the end, but end up dropping their game to the Whitman Blues 68-77. 

How it Happened
The Loggers' defense was fantastic early, holding the Blues scoreless for the first 3.5 minutes into the match. Carmen Cruz got the Loggers going, knocking down a jumper to get the Loggers off to an early lead. The Blues went on a run in the back half of the first quarter, putting the Loggers down eight with 2:30 to go. A flurry of scoring in the final minute kept either team from pulling ahead, as a three by Paige Oh made it 11-18 at the end of the first. 

The second quarter was better for the Loggers, as Cruz kicked off the scoring again with a three of her own. Oh followed that up with a jumper and a triple, making it 20-22, but a Blues run pulled them back ahead by three possessions. The Loggers responded, as Cruz hit another three and two free throws, while Mele Sake got her first points of the game to tie it up at 29 apiece. A final layup and pair of free throws by Savannah Pohl gave the Loggers their first lead since the opening bucket, as they headed into halftime up 33-31. 

The second half began with another flurry of made buckets, as the teams scored on the first six possessions of the third quarter. Natalia Sefair-Lopez drilled a three, kick-starting her scoring after an impressive 16 points against Whitworth. The Blues continued to have the hot hand, extending their lead to seven as the Loggers shooting started to cool down. A late layup by Claire Thompson helped pull the Loggers within three, but two final free throws made it 56-51 at the end of the third. 

After a Blues lay in to start the fourth, Hailey Quiggle drilled a three and followed it up with another bucket to pull the Loggers within two. Sefair-Lopez hit a pair of free throws, and Mele Sake got a quick bucket to tie the game at 60 apiece. The Blues then went on a 7-0 run, and despite a late effort by the Loggers, they couldn't quite come back. Whitman ended up taking this one 77-68, as the Loggers continue their road trip in Oregon next weekend. 

Top Performers
Cruz led the Loggers with 15 points and 6 rebounds, with Sefair-Lopez right behind with 12 points and 5 boards of her own. 

What Happens Next
The Loggers take on the George Fox Bruins on Friday, January 30th in Oregon. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 pm.