FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Trailing by as many as 15 in the third quarter, the Lewis & Clark Pioneers got to within three late before dropping a 61-54 decision to the first-place Pacific Boxers on Friday night.

Laurel Marchant's 3-pointer followed by a layup from Delsie Johnson cut the Pios' deficit to 50-47 with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter. Pacific scored 11 of the next 18 points to secure their eighth victory of the year.

Hannah Martin and Johnson scored 20 of their combined 27 in the second half. Martin shot 4 for 5 in the second half. For the game, Coco Shafer added six in 16 minutes off the bench.

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Key Moments

Lewis & Clark (2-16, 1-9 NWC) didn't get its first field goal until midway through the first quarter when Martin hit a 3-pointer. The Pioneers shot 20 percent and were outrebounded 12-4 in the opening period.

Trailing by 12 entering the fourth, Lewis & Clark began a rally and hit four of their first seven shots. Meanwhile, the Pios defense kept Pacific to a 1 for 10 start in the quarter. Lewis & Clark scored the first seven points of the period. Marchant, who finished with 11 points, scored and was fouled between buckets by Johnson and Martin. Marchant added a three with 5:00 left in the game before Johnson's layup brought the Pios within a single possession, 50-47. 

The Pioneers went the next two minutes without a field goal, though, and Pacific rebuilt its lead back to nearly 10. 

Lewis & Clark eventually won the rebounding margin, 34-31, but the Boxers (14-4, 8-1 NWC) held an 18-5 advantage in points off turnovers. 

Deeper Look

• Lewis & Clark won the shooting battle from the field (41-37 percent) and the free-throw line (92-63 percent), while the Boxers hit two more 3-pointers
• Friday was the Pios' second time shooting better than 90 percent (12 for 13) from the line and their first since the season-opening win against Northwest
• Julia Barsocchini had a 3-pointer and a team-high two steals, while Gabby Beltran added three points to combine with Shafer's six for all of the Pioneers bench points
• Jessica Cerne didn't play in the second half after scoring four in the first half
• Pacific's Courtney Carolan had a game-high 20 points, while Brilie Kovaloff had nine of her 14 in the first half

Looking Ahead

Next weekend, Lewis & Clark has just its second back-to-back home games since early December when the Pios host Whitworth and Whitman starting on Feb. 7.