The Pioneer women's basketball team took sole possession of
third place in the Northwest Conference with Saturday's 54-41 (box score) victory
over the Whitman Missionaries. Shawna Castle scored 15 points to
lead the Pioneers. Crystal posted her eighth double-double of the
season.
The first half was a battle of defense, with the Pioneers
holding the Whitman Missionaries to three field goals in the first
ten minutes of the game and just two more in the second ten. The
Pioneers, helped by eight points and five steals by Shawna Castle
(senior Rocklin, Calif.) in the first half led 27-14 at the break.
A rejuvenated Missionary team took the court after halftime,
going on a 7-0 run to start the half, cutting the Pioneer lead to
six, 27-21, on a basket by Kelsey Krumdieck with 18:25 left in the
game. A three pointer by Whitman's Michelle Krall pulled the
Missionaries within five, 34-29, with 15 minutes left in the game.
The Pioneer defense once again stepped up to the challenge, putting
a halt to Whitman's scoring, holding the Missionaries to just two
points (a lone jump shot by Hillary White) over the next eight
minutes of the game. The Pioneers offense rattled off 16 points,
eight coming from Crystal Castle (senior, Rocklin, Calif.), in that
same span to take a 50-34 lead. The Pioneers held on for a 54-41
victory.
Whitman and Lewis & Clark entered the game tied for third
place in the Northwest Conference with identical 6-4 Conference
records. The victory, the fifth in a row for the Pioneers, moved
them into sole possession of third place with a 8-4 record (12-9
overall). The Missionaries fall to 13-8 overall and are now in
fourth place in the NWC.
For the Pioneers, Shawna Castle scored a game-high 15 points.
She had three rebounds, five steals, and three assists. Crystal
Castle scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, her eighth double-double
of the season.
For the Missionaries, Jenele Peterson scored 10 points. Emily
Shubin scored 8 points with nine rebounds.
The Pioneers play their final home game of the season next
Friday night, February 15, when they host the Conference-leading
George Fox Bruins. Whitman will be back home taking on the
other Conference-leading team, the Puget Sound Loggers. Both games
begin at 6pm.
