Portland, Ore. | Warner Pacific fell to Southern Oregon University 57-61 on Friday night. Gabriella Bruno led all players with 22 points, shooting 9-9 from the free throw line. The Knights only missed four free throws (18-22) on the night.
The match-up was a dog-fight from the tip. The two teams exchanged buckets and the lead in the first quarter before the Raiders ended the first quarter with a three-point lead over the Knights.
Bruno was scoreless in the first quarter but then went on to score 9 of the teams 19 second quarter points, including a momentum striking and-one to take the lead. Heading into the intermission, WPU had a five-point lead.
After holding the five-point lead through the first three minutes of play in the second half, a Payton Whitmore and-one sent the Knights ahead by 8 with 7:44 remaining in the third. The Raiders wouldn't go away, fighting their way back within three before the Knights went cold from the field in the last minute of the game, allowing the Raiders to steal the lead and head into the final quarter of play leading 44-42.
In what ended up being a very chippy and aggressive fourth quarter, SOU held on to the lead. With four minutes of play remaining, Samantha Morgan, who scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter, was fouled and sunk the bucket to cut lead to two but was unable to convert the old fashioned three-point play. SOU got the board and splashed a three to extend the lead to five. Despite a late surge of buckets by Morgan and Bruno, the Knights couldn't complete the comeback, unable to find the bottom of the net for the last 2:21 of play.
Kali Kruger swatted a career-high 7 shots on the night.
Southern Oregon's Dominique Harding led the Raiders in scoring with 15.
The Knights will host the Lady Owls of Oregon Tech on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 530pm.