Jan. 8, 2008

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Lutes Look For First Conference Win at UPS

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran (7-4 overall, 0-2 NWC) at Puget Sound, Tuesday, 6 p.m.; hosts Willamette, Saturday 6 p.m.

PLU vs. UPS: Tonight’s game will be the 58th meeting between the two schools. Puget Sound holds the all-time series lead, 34-23. Last season the Lutes were swept by the Loggers, 56-53 and 67-60. The last victory over UPS came in the 2006 when PLU ended the season for the Loggers, 62-50, in the second round of the NCAA playoffs hosted by PLU.

Emily Voorhies

Kyle Haag

ABOUT UPS: Puget Sound, picked to finish second in the conference behind George Fox, currently has a record of 8-3, with a 1-1 record in NCW play. Seniors Laura Hirsh and Marissa Cain, who are averaging 15 and 13 points per game respectively, are the Loggers' top offensive threats. Both athletes are a menace with the deep ball as they have made a combined 43 of the team's 76 three-pointers. With three other players averaging more then seven points a game, the Loggers are hardly two-dimensional. Their ability to put opponents away in the second half has been a major reason for their success. UPS has outscored their opponents by more than 100 points in the second half as opposed to 39 points in the first half.

WILLAMETTE MATCHUP: The Lutes open the home portion of their Northwest Conference schedule at 6 p.m. Saturday when they host the Willamette Bearcats. The Bearcats are 2-9 overall and 0-2 in conference play this year, but they host George Fox on Friday night prior to traveling north on I-5 to face the Lutes in Parkland. Willamette is currently on a seven-game skid after winning two of their first four games. Junior Molly Fillion is the top scorer for the Bearcats, averaging 14.5 points a game.

GEORGE FOX RECAP: George Fox, picked by Northwest Conference coaches to win its fifth league title in nine years, got off to a strong start with a 64-40 women's basketball victory over Pacific Lutheran last Friday night at Wheeler Sports Center's Miller Gym. The 18th-ranked Bruins opened up a double-digit lead nine minutes into the game and remaining comfortably ahead the rest of the way. The first half was all George Fox as they as they went into the locker room with a 29-17 advantage. The Bruins opened the second half with a 19-5 run giving them a 48-22 lead with 12:20 left. The Lutes got no closer than 19 points thereafter. Kyle Haag scored 14 points for the Lutes, who were held to a .254 (15-for-59) shooting percentage. Meghan Dowling had six rebounds for the Lutes.

LUTES FALL TO PIONEERS IN OT: Kyle Haag, whose three-point basket near the end of regulation sent the game into overtime, missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer as Lewis & Clark defeated Pacific Lutheran, 70-67, in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game played last Saturday night at Pamplin Sports Center. PLU extended a 30-26 halftime lead to 11 points, 43-32, when Amanda Tschaunder made a layup with 14:43 remaining in the second half. Over the next five and one-half minutes, the Pioneers went on a 13-2 run, tying the score at 45-45. A jumper by Crystal Castle gave the Pioneers a 54-51 lead, but the Lutes battled back, pulling to within one point, 56-55, on a pair of free throws by Nikki Scott. Haag hit her three-point basket to give the Lutes a one-point lead with 18 seconds remaining before Crystal Castle make one of two free throws to tie the game and send it to overtime. After four more ties in overtime, the Lutes took a 67-65 lead on a pair of free throws by Melissa Richardson, but Shawna Castle hit a three-pointer from the corner with 26 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Pioneers a 68-67 advantage. Lewis & Clark's Kim Kittell blocked a jumper by Scott on the other end, and Crystal Castle hit two free throws with three seconds left for the game's final points. Emily Voorhies made 8-of-10 shots from the field to lead the Lutes with 20 points, and she also grabbed 12 rebounds in perhaps her finest game in three seasons at PLU. With Voorhies leading the way, PLU out-rebounded the Pioneers, 44-36. Haag finished the game with 12 points and Melissa Richardson added 10 for the Lutes.

HEAR IT ON KLAY 1180 AM: Pacific Lutheran’s conference basketball games can be heard live in the Tacoma-Parkland area on KLAY 1180 AM with Hall of Fame announcer Bob Robertson calling the action. The games are also available online at www.klay1180.com.

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