FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The Pacific University women's basketball team won their seventh consecutive contest on Friday night inside the Stoller Center, defeating Lewis & Clark 69-56 to stay undefeated in Northwest Conference play.
The Boxers (11-3, 5-0 NWC) didn't put on their best shooting display, but managed to grind out the victory through some solid defense that forced the Pioneers into 15 turnovers and held them to 34.9% from the floor. Pacific shot close to 50% in the first half but struggled in the final 20 minutes. It would be the Boxers' second-worst shooting night of the season from three-point range (22.7%), but they would make up for it with 30 points in the paint.
Lewis & Clark (7-7, 2-3 NWC) were dominant on the boards with 16 offensive rebounds. They managed to capitalize on these opportunities with 23 second-chance points, exactly half of their final tally (56). They were led by Delsie Johnson who scored 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
Brilie Kovaloff (Junior/Honolulu, HI) was excellent and led the Boxers with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting. The guard made one three-pointer and hit six of her seven foul shots down the stretch. She also pulled down five rebounds and dished out four assists
Camy Aguinaldo (Senior/Honolulu, HI) returned from injury and poured in 20 points in just 19 minutes. The senior struggled with foul trouble for majority of the contest, but made a massive impact in short time on the floor, going 8-of-13 and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Sydney Gray (Junior/Central Point, OR) registered eight points on the night and
Rilee Price (Junior/Brea, CA) scored seven of her own.
Kaylee-Brooke Manuel (Junior/Nanakuli, HI) chipped in with six points and six rebounds.
How It Happened
The two teams would trade blows in the opening minutes. Lewis & Clark took an early lead before Aguinaldo quickly rattled off seven straight points to get the Boxers back on track. The point guard would unfortunately pick up two early fouls, sending her to the bench for the rest of the quarter. After a frantic 10 minutes, the score would be tied at 16.
Madison Dunlop (Sophomore/Palmer, AK) started the second period by knocking down a three-pointer, kick-starting a 6-0 run for Pacific. Kovaloff would then drop six straight points before Price and Manuel scored layups to extend the lead to double-digits. Aguinaldo checked back into the game and scored seven consecutive points to make it a 15-point advantage. A short spurt from the visitors would leave Pacific with a 37-24 lead at the break.
The Pioneers cut the lead to six points early in the third quarter but the Boxers responded nicely to jump out to a 17-point lead, their largest of the game. The hosts enjoyed a nice 56-42 cushion going into the fourth quarter.
Without Aguinaldo in the game, the Boxers managed to trade baskets with the Pioneers to stay comfortably ahead. Lewis & Clark cut the lead to six points but some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch allowed Pacific to cruise to their seventh-straight win.
By The Numbers
- Lewis & Clark won the rebounding battle 45-40.
- Pacific shot 82.7% from the free throw line, their third best mark of the season.
Up Next
The Boxers look to keep their streak alive on Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. when they head to Walla Walla, Wash. to face No. 7 Whitman.
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on
Facebook,
Instagram and
Twitter.
#GoBoxers
