TACOMA, Wash. -- Pacific Lutheran University held a 24-8 advantage after one quarter, and The Evergreen State College couldn't overcome the early deficit, as the Lutes downed the Geoducks 64-47 in a non-conference women's basketball game on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Olson Auditorium. The strong start for the Lutes offset the scoring efforts of McKenna Jacobs (Fr., C) of Evergreen, who scored 17 points for the Geoducks.
Evergreen fell to 0-5 on the season. Due to injuries, the Geoducks competed with just six players. PLU improved to 1-6.
Jacobs connected on 7 of 14 field goals and went 3 for 3 at the free throw line. Jacobs was joined in double figures by Jenna Glenzel (Sr., G), who scored 12 points while earning 11 rebounds, five steals, and two blocked shots. Bayleigh Harder (Sr., F/C) produced seven points and five rebounds. Gina Brown (Sr., C) was credited with eight rebounds, while Jesselle Victo Castillo (Jr., PG) achieved four assists.
Sydney Reisner scored 18 points for the Lutes and led Pacific Lutheran with three 3-point baskets. She also registered a team-high four steals. Emi Wada and Kylie Griffin each tacked on 11 points for PLU. Lilli Williams led the team with nine rebounds, while Ghadir Ramadan added eight boards. Griffin supplied three assists.
Pacific Lutheran recorded the first 11 points of the game, starting with a 3-pointer by Reisner. Evergreen stopped the run with an offensive rebound and layup by Amaialyne Cepeda (Sr., G) with 7:40 left in the quarter. Jacobs added a jump shot for the Geoducks, but PLU answered with a 7-0 run to claim an 18-4 lead following a layup by Williams as the clock reached 3:45.
Each team scored 18 points in the second quarter. The Geoducks moved as close as 28-17 on a 3-point basket by Victo Castillo with 7:33 left in the half. PLU added a 9-3 run for a 37-20 lead with 3:05 on the clock. Evergreen earned the next for points on a layup by Harder and a jumper by Jacobs to pull within 37-24 at the 2:15 mark. The Lutes owned a 42-26 lead at the break.
PLU gained a slim 22-21 scoring margin over the final two quarters. The Lutes put through the first six points of the third quarter, including a 3-pointer by Griffin, for a 49-26 advantage with 5:59 to play. A jumper from Jacobs with 2:20 left in the quarter reduced the lead to 42-35. The Lutes were in front 55-37 when the game entered the fourth quarter.
Evergreen cut the margin to 13 points at 58-45 on a layup by Glenzel with 2:58 remaining. The Geoducks also pulled as close as 60-47 less after a jump shot by Brown 48 seconds later, but Evergreen couldn't get closer.
The Geoducks made 20 of 64 shots from the field (31.3%) and connected on just 2 of 17 three-point attempts. Evergreen was 5 for 7 (71.4%) at the free throw line. Pacific Lutheran hit 26 of 72 shots (36.1%), while converting 6 of 22 attempts from 3-point range. The Lutes were 6 for 12 on free throws. The Geoducks earned a 42-41 rebounding edge.
Up next for Evergreen is a Cascade Collegiate Conference game against College of Idaho on Friday, Dec. 19. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Costantino Recreation Center on the Evergreen campus.