FOREST GROVE – A much more spirited effort from Pacific was not enough to overcome a strong shooting performance by Lewis & Clark Saturday as the Pioneers knocked off the Boxers, 66-57, in Northwest Conference women's basketball action at the Stoller Center.
The Pioneers (11-4, 4-2 NWC) shot 46.8 percent from the field (22-47) for the game, but built as much as a 12-point lead early thanks to a 50-percent shooting performance in the first half. Pacific (5-10, 1-5 NWC) shot 35.7 percent for the game (20-56), but hit an impressive 83.3 percent from the free throw line to keep things close in the second half.
Erica Schultz (Jr., Medford, Ore.) came off the bench to lead the Boxers with 18 points, connecting on 7 of 14 from the field, along with five rebounds. Annette Highley (Fr., Juneau, Alaska) added 10 points.
Neva Hauser led Lewis & Clark with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kristina Williams added 16 points and Margaret Dowling notched a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Pioneers out-rebounded Pacific 39-27.
Lewis & Clark opened the game by jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the first five minutes, thanks in part to four points each by Hauser and Williams. The Pioneers held a 10-point lead at the 10:33 mark when Kandice McArthur's (Jr., Post Falls, Idaho) three-point play opened up a 6-0 run that brought the Boxers within 18-14. Highley cut the deficit to three points, 23-20, on her lay-in with 4:20 to go, but the Pioneers maintained their composure and entered halftime with a 28-23 lead.
The Boxers kept the heat on the Pioneers over the first 10 minutes of the second half and eventually took their first lead of the game, 41-40, on a pair of Brittney Anderson (Jr., Missoula, Mont.) free throws at the 10:32 mark. Sara Villanueava responded with a lay-in that opened up a 10-3 Pioneers' run, culminating on a Hauser free throw that put L&C back up 50-43 with 6:48 to go.
Alissa Nergaard (Fr., Covington, Wash.) brought the lead back to within four with her free throw at the 5:08 mark, but the Boxers would be held to just two more shots from the field the rest of the way. The Pioneers built their cushion with free throws, going back up 10 on a Villanueava charity shot with 1:31 left and Hauser made it an 11-point cushion with her free throws with 10 seconds left.
The Boxers now turn their attention to the conference's eastern Washington schools. Pacific will travel to Whitworth on Friday and Whitman on Saturday. Both games begin at 6 p.m. Lewis & Clark returns to action on Friday when they host Willamette.