Boxers Come Close, Can’t Closeout No. 10 Pios
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – The Pacific women's basketball team came close to beating No. 10 Lewis & Clark, but couldn't come up with last minute shots as the Boxers suffered a 70-63 loss to Lewis & Clark in Northwest Conference action on Tuesday evening at the Stoller Center.
Alex Pfefferle (Jr., Twin Falls, Idaho) led the Boxers with 19 points and grabbed six rebounds in 33 minutes of play. She was 7 of 8 from the field, shooting 75 percent from three-point range and was also perfect in two attempts at the charity stripe.
Olivia Cook (So., Beaverton, Ore.) came off the bench to score 10 points, second best on the team. She was 5 of 8 from the field and collected seven rebounds.
Paige Jensen (Sr., Bemidji, Minn.) was the top rebounder, grabbing 10. She added eight points in 33 minutes of play.
Nani Ostrom (So., Juneau, Alaska) also added eight points.
The Boxers opened the scoring in the first half with a three-pointer from Pfefferle, their only lead of the game. Lewis & Clark (22-2, 13-2 NWC) went on a 8-0 run to take a five point lead with 16:45 left to play in the first half. The Boxers cut the Pio lead to three with a jumper from Jensen. Katie Anderson put the Pios back up by five with a jumper from a jumper from Pfefferle brought the Boxers back within three with 15:50 in the first half.
The Pios sunk a jumper at 14:53, but once again Pfefferle made a jumper to bring the Boxers within three. Cook came off the bench to sink a jumper to bring the Pio lead to just one, 12-11. At the 12:47 mark Kristina Williams put the Pios back up 14-11, but
Anuhea Wall (So., Kealakekua, Hawaii) made jumper to cut the Pio lead to one.
The Pios went up by four with 11:06 left to play in the first half. Ostrom made a jumper to cut the lead to two, 19-17. Anderson sparked a 4-0 Pio run before Pfefferle knocked down her second three-point of the evening to cut the Pio lead to three. The Pios went up by, as much as, nine with 4:18 left to play until halftime. Cook sunk a jumper to cut the lead to five, but the Pios went back up by seven with two made free throws. Jensen cut the lead to five with a jumper, but a good free throw shot from Anderson put the Pios back up by six. Colter sparked a 5-0 run with a three-pointer with 1:49 left in the half. Two made free throws from Pfefferle, cut the Pio lead to one. With two seconds left, Reese DeHart made a quick basket to lead the Pios into halftime with a 37-34 lead.
The Boxers had a rough start to the second half, as the Pios went up by 11 with 15:58 left to play. Jensen cut the lead to nine, but the Pios went back up by 11, 51-40 with 13:36 left to play. The Boxers went on a 8-0 run that was sparked by another layup from Jensen. After a Pio foul, Johnson made one free throw to cut the Pio lead to eight. Two more free throws from Wall cut the lead to six and a trey from
Kaila Johnson (So., McKinleyville, Calif.) put the Boxers within three.
Lewis & Clark gained a seven point lead with 10:31 left to play, but
Heather Hitch (Sr., Enumclaw, Wash.) brought the Boxers within five. Cook worked her way to sink a layup to cut the lead to 55-52 with 9:19 left to play. A layup and a free throw put the Pios back up by six, but a wide open three from Colter put the Boxers back within three with 8:10 left to play in the game.
The Boxers regained possession and Cook took advantage down low to sink a jumper and bring the Boxers within one. A foul by, Pfefferle forced the Pios to the free throw line. Williams sunk both to put the Pios up 60-57 with 5:19 left to play.
A sunken jumper from Ostrom brought the Boxers back within one, but couldn't find the bottom of the net to take the lead. Williams made a jumper to put the Pios back up 62-59, but a layup from Pfefferle brought the Boxers within one. The Boxers fouled to gain possession of the ball. Willaims sunk two more free throws to take a 64-61 lead. A turnover by Jensen and a foul by Cook, led to two more made Pio free throws, putting them up 66-61 with 2:10 left to play. Cook had an opportunity to cut the lead but couldn't find the bottom of the net.
The Pios two to more three-point attempts before the Boxers regained possession. Ostrom sunk two free throws after a Pio foul to bring the Boxers within three with 47 seconds left to play. The Boxers were forced to foul in order to regain possession of the ball. Sara Villanueva made the final four free throws to secure the 70-63 victory for the Pios. With 25 seconds left to play, Ostrom and Cook tried to bring the Boxers back, but couldn't come up with the basket.
The Boxers shot 39 percent from the field, 29 percent from the three-point line and 82 percent from the charity stripe. The Boxers forced 10 turnovers and were outrebounded 40-38 by the Pios.
The Boxers (14-9, 7-8 NWC) will travel to Puget Sound on Friday to play their final game of the 2012-13 campaign. Tip off is at 6 p.m.
