Boxers Fall To Bruins In Overtime
Box Score
NEWBERG, Ore. – After returning to Northwest Conference action,
Alex Pfefferle (Jr., Twin Falls, Idaho) and
Paige Jensen (Sr., Bemidji, Minn.) led the Pacific women's basketball team in overtime loss to George Fox, 61-56 on Saturday evening at Wheeler SC/Miller Gymnasium.
Pfefferle scored a season-high 18 points in 40 minutes of play. She made 7 of 17 from the field, including four beyond the arc. She collected two assists and two steals. Jensen picked up her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. She was 7 of 17 from the field to go along with 3 assists in 37 minutes of play.
The Bruins, who were picked to finish first in the Northwest Conference, opened up the scoring with a layup at the 18:09 mark, but Pfefferle started off the Boxers with a jumper at 17:38. The Boxers took their first lead at 16:52 after
Heather Hitch (Sr., Enumclaw, Wash.) scored her first points of the game. McKenzie Wolfe tied the game up for the Bruins at 8-8.
The Bruins would then take the lead and score two more before
Erica Colter (Sr., Kennewick, Wash.) scored from beyond the arc to put the Boxers up 11-10. Pfefferle hit her second jumper of the game at 8:18 to put the Boxers up by three.
Colter helped the Boxers take their biggest lead in the first half after she scored two to put the Boxers up 29-18 with 1:40 to go. After an
Olivia Cook (So., Beaverton, Ore.) foul, the Bruins brought the Boxer lead to nine after two made free throws by Hannah Munger. Munger brought the lead to seven with 56 seconds to go in the first half. After a three by Jami Roos, the Boxers headed into the second half up by four, 29-25.
Jensen opened the second half with a made free throw shot, putting the Boxers up by five at the 19:14 minute mark. Pfefferle found and open Jensen to put the Boxers up by seven at 16:08.
The Bruins would slowly start to come back as they ended up tying the game up at 41-41 after a jumper by Hayley Cusick. The game would be tied at 46-46 after a jumper by Hitch with three minutes left to go in regulation.
Hitch helped the Boxers take the lead with 2:10 to go, putting the Boxers up by two, 48-46. After a Colter foul, Megan Arnoldy made two free throws for the Bruins to take the game into overtime. With 31 seconds left in regulation, the Boxers had an opportunity to take the game, but missed a three-pointer with one second left.
In overtime, the Boxers took an early lead after a layup by Pfefferle. The Bruins would quickly take the lead, 56-53, putting the Boxers in a position to foul in order to get the ball back and scoring opportunities.
Kaila Johnson (Sr., McKinleyville, Calif.) cut the lead three after a three-pointer with 14 seconds left to go. Johnson would quickly foul, sending the Bruins to the free throw line. Roos made both of her free throws to put the Bruins up 61-56. Johnson tried to bring the Boxers back at the last second, but was not enough time to win the game.
The Boxers shot 35.4 percent from the field, 30 percent from three-point range. They were 4 of 8 from the free throw line. The Bruins outrebounded the Boxers 44-34. The Boxers picked up seven steals and forced 21 turnovers.
Colter ended the game with seven points and three assists, while Hitch scored 13 and grabbed seven rebounds. Colter was 3 of 9 from the field and Hitch was 5 of 8, 3 of 4 from the free throw line.
The Boxers (7-2, 1-1 NWC) will enjoy the holidays off and come back on Dec. 31 as they will travel to New Hope Christian College before they return to Northwest Conference action. Tip off is at 2 p.m.
