Boxers Can’t Hold Early Lead In Loss To Lutes
Box Score
PARKLAND, Wash. –
Alex Pfefferle (Jr., Twin Falls, Idaho) led the Boxers with 16 points and the Pacific women's basketball team went on an early 9-0 run, but could not hold the lead as the Boxers fell 52-44 to Pacific Lutheran on Friday evening at Olson Auditorium.
Kaila Johnson (So., McKinleyville, Ore.) opened the scoring for the Boxers after a Lute's foul. She made both free throws to take an early 2-0 lead. Pfefferle does what she does best, making a three-pointer at 17:29. After another Lute foul,
Erica Colter (Sr., Kennewick, Wash.) missed her first free throw, but made the second to put the Boxers up 6-0 with 16:21 left to play in the first half. Pfefferle would hit another trey before the Lutes scored at 12:32, putting the Boxers up 9-0.
The Lutes brought the Boxers lead to just five with a little over 10 minutes to play in the first half, but
Heather Hitch (Sr., Enumclaw, Wash.) put the Boxers back up by seven (15-8) with the assist from Colter. Right after a media timeout, the Lutes fouled Pfefferle, sending her to the charity strip. Pfefferle made her second shot, putting the Boxers up by six.
Pacific Lutheran's Austin Schorno brought the Lutes back within three with seven minutes left to play in the first half. The Lutes would tie the game at 16 after a Kara Sherman three-pointer. Johnson hit one beyond the arc to put the Boxers back on top by three with less than four minutes to play in the first. But Sherman once again scored two to come back within one. A good layup by Hitch and one good free throw shot from
Paige Jensen (Sr., Bemidji, Minn.) helped the Boxers lead by four heading into the second half.
Colter opened the second half with a good layup, but the Lutes responded with a three from Megan Abdo. Jensen fouled Samantha Potter with 18:33 left to play. Potter made the first free throw, but missed the second, putting the Lutes within two of the Boxers. Pfefferle helped the Boxers lead by four with a jumper, but Potter responded for the Lutes, scoring a layup.
Two good free throws from Pfefferle put the Boxers up by four with 16 minutes left to play in the game. Potter once again responded with a layup, bringing the Lutes back within two. Pfefferle put the Boxers back up by four with a good layup, but again the Lutes made a jumper to bring the Boxers lead to just two with 15 minutes left to play.
Pacific Lutheran's Katelyn Smith tied the game for the second time of the night at 30-30. And the Lutes took their first lead of the evening after a layup from Sarah Barnes.
Olivia Cook (So., Beaverton, Ore.) tied it back up for the Boxers with a layup. Barnes hit a jumper to put the Lutes back up by two.
With less than five minutes left to play in the game, Hitch took the lead for the Boxers with a three-point play after being fouled on a made layup and making the free throw. Abdo tied it up for the Lutes with a free throw shot and Potter took the Lute lead at 3:56, leading 41-39.
The Boxers did not see the lead again for the rest of the game, putting them in a foul situation just to get possession of the ball to score. Boxers came with in two with 2:35 after two made free throws from Johnson. But a Boxers turnover forced the Boxers to foul. The Lutes took their largest lead of the game with 13 seconds left, leading 52-43. The Boxers had one last chance to score after a Lute foul with eight seconds left to play, but was not enough for the Boxers.
Pfefferle led the Boxers with 16 points and seven rebounds, shooting 4 of 13 from the field and 2 of 6 beyond the arc in 34 minutes of play. Hitch added 11 points, going 4 of 11 from the field and picking up seven rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Johnson added seven points and five rebounds, shooting 100 percent from the free throw line. Jensen led the Boxers with eight rebounds.
The Boxers are 9-4 overall, 2-3 in the Northwest Conference. They return home tomorrow, on Saturday, to take on the huge rival of Linfield. Tip off is at 6 p.m.
