All-American candidate senior Sarah Curl (Portland, Ore.) scored a season-high 33 points to lead the Pacific University women's basketball team to a 61-58 win at Willamette University on Friday night in Salem.

Curl, who hit 14 of 27 shots from the field, scored 22 of her 33 in the first 20 minutes to lead Pacific. She hit a 3-pointer 1:15 into the game that put Pacific ahead for nearly the entire contest. The Boxers (8-16, 6-9 NWC) shot 45.5% (25-for-55) from the field in the win including a season-best 57.7% (15-for-26) in the first half.
 
The Bearcats (12-12, 5-10 NWC) were led by Kylie Towry, who had a team-high 19 points – 14 in the second half to lead Willamette.
 
The 3-pointer by Curl put Pacific ahead by one, 3-2 and the visitors remained in front for the rest of the contest. The Boxers build a lead as large as 14, 51-37, at the end of the third quarter. A resilient Willamette squad started the fourth quarter on a 17-4 run to cut the deficit to one, 55-54 with 3:31 left to play. Later in the quarter, the Bearcats managed to tie the game at 56 when Marisa Hamilton made two free throws with 2:23 to play.
 
The Boxers called on the All-American candidate, Curl who made a second-chance basket to put the visitors back in front for the remainder of the contest. Pacific managed to extend the lead to three when senior Nikki Gilbert (East Wenatchee, Wash.) made one of two free throws with just under five seconds to play. A last-second 3-pointer attempt by Willamette came up short and the Boxers prevailed for the win.
 
Next, Pacific will host Puget Sound on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Stoller Center for Senior Day.