Box Score
PARKLAND, Wash. – The Lewis & Clark women's basketball team extended its winning streak to six games on Friday evening, taking down the Pacific Lutheran Lutes, 65-50, in a Northwest Conference matchup on the road in Olson Auditorium.
The victory moves the Pioneers to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in NWC action. Lewis & Clark is now in a three-way tie for first place in conference along with George Fox, who the Pioneers defeated last week, and the Puget Sound Loggers. The Lutes slip to 4-10 on the season and just 2-4 against conference opponents.
The Pioneers were led by junior Neva Hauser, who finished the night with a double-double, while helping the Pios outrebound their opponents an astounding 46-27. Hauser ended with a team-high 14 points and 10 rebounds, while shooting 6-of-10 from the floor. Senior Christina Herring also finished 6-10 for 11 points, and sophomore Kristina Williams contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
Shelly Kilcup had a game-high 15 points for the Lutes, followed by Samantha Potter who scored 12.
The Pioneers quickly took control of the first half, running up a double-digit, 19-8, lead with back-to-back made free-throws by Kathlene Howe with 10:23 on the clock. The Lutes fought back to within six points with a little over three minutes remaining. Lewis & Clark would once again reclaim a double-digit advantage in the closing minutes of the game with three-pointers from Howe and Taylor Wang. The two sides headed into the half with the Pios up 36-23.
The Lutes rallied back in the early moments of the second half, cutting the Pioneers lead to 40-35 with five minutes gone, but PLU would not be able to maintain the momentum for long. The next six minutes of action would be all Pioneers as they pushed their lead to 54-41 on a run started by Herring and Hauser. Lewis & Clark captured its largest lead of the game, 18 points, on a Williams jumper with 4:27 to play. Pacific Lutheran closed out the scoring on a Mahlet Tigley jumper, but it would not be enough to overcome the Pioneers who ended with the 65-50 victory.
The Pioneers return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. when they take on the Pacific (Ore.) Boxers on the road.
