SALEM, Ore. – A difficult second quarter of play sent the Corban University Women’s Basketball team (5-4, 2-1) into a downward spiral Friday evening against NCAA DII Western Oregon University (5-2, 0-2), falling in an exhibition matchup for the Warriors 77-54, while the Wolves logged the result into their win column as a counting contest.
“This was a good exhibition game for us to play against a very good team to see where we’re at, I thought we had some very good stretches that we can continue to build on,” Warriors Head Coach Bill Pilgeram said earlier tonight. “Now we settle into preparing for finals and getting ready for another conference weekend at home next week!”
The Warriors were able to hold their own early against the Wolves, even leading by four points on two separate occasions before Western Oregon settled in to take the lead with five seconds remaining.
This would be the last lead change of the evening, as WOU rattled off four points right off the bat in the second quarter to keep Corban more than a possession away the remainder of the contest. Western Oregon entered the halftime break leading by only seven points, but most of their offensive success was lying in wait for the second half. Warriors’ junior guard Maddie Godwin scored a game-high 10 points in the opening half, while the Wolves had three student-athletes with seven or more points.
Western Oregon scored seven points in their first three possessions to open the third quarter while holding Corban scoreless, foreshadowing their 29-13 quarter advantage to lead by 23 points and providing much needed distance from the Warriors constant offensive and defensive pressure.
The Wolves’ largest lead came with eight minutes remaining, as a three-pointer from guard Princy Paaluhi-Caulk gave Western Oregon a 28-point lead. Godwin would go on to hit a three with just under six minutes to play to pull Corban within 22 points, but nothing the Warriors could muster up would put a big enough dent in the lead the Wolves built in the third quarter.
20 points from Godwin would be good enough for the game-high in scoring for all players, but she was the only double-digit scorer for Corban tonight in a contest where four different Wolves scored 10 plus points. Senior forward Holly Golenor secured eight points and eight rebounds for the only other consistent evening in the Navy and Gold uniforms, shooting 4-for-6 from the field.
Wolves’ guards Paaluhi-Caulk and Ana McClave turned in the highest scoring games for Western Oregon, tallying 17 and 16 points, respectively. McClave added 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Paaluhi-Caulk added five boards. Forwards Kiylynn Dawkins and Kylee Arzner were the only other WOU players in double-digit scoring with 14 and 12 points.
Corban Women’s Basketball jumps back into Cascade Collegiate Conference play next Saturday, December 17th, at 4pm PST against No 13 Lewis-Clark State College in the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
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