Nov. 16, 2007

PLU Women Set Defensive Record in Season-Opening Win

Emily Voorhies - near double-double

Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore – Pacific Lutheran gave new head coach Kelly Warnke an impressive debut on Friday, setting a Lute women's basketball single-game record for fewest points allowed in a 64-16 victory over Texas Lutheran at the Northwest Lutheran Invitational Tournament hosted by Concordia University.

The Lutes shattered the previous PLU women’s basketball single-game defensive record of 26 points set twice in January 2001. That PLU team defeated Susquehanna, 64-26, and two games later beat Whitman, 80-26.

Warnke’s team shut down a Texas Lutheran squad that had only six players, five of whom played the entire 40 minutes. The Bulldogs made just 6-of-44 field goals (13.6 percent) during the game, and the Lutes dominated in the rebounding column, 59-21, including 30 on the offensive end. In addition, Texas Lutheran committed 32 turnovers.

The game was never in doubt as the Lutes scored the first 14 points before the Bulldogs scored their first basket with 12:46 left in the half. When Nikki Scott hit a layup with 4:58 left in the period, the Lutes had extended their lead to 27-2. PLU held a 34-8 lead at the break and they cruised in from there.

Kyle Haag made 4-of-11 from three-point range to lead the Lutes with 17 points in 19 minutes, and Emily Voorhies came off the bench to score 15 points and grab nine rebounds in 19 minutes. All 10 Pacific Lutheran players spent at least 12 minutes on the floor and only one did not score. That player, Meghan Dowling, tied Voorhies for team-high rebounding honors with nine in just 14 minutes of action. The Lutes shot 27-of-68 from the field for the game, though they did commit 26 turnovers.

Pacific Lutheran advances to the tournament championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday between the winner of tonight’s women’s contest between the host Concordia-Portland and Concordia-Nebraska. The Northwest Lutheran Invitational Tournament is sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

- PLU -