TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific women's basketball team pushed No. 23/25 Puget Sound to the edge, as five Boxers scored in double figures, before the Loggers were able to pull away with a 71-64 victory inside of the Pamplin Sports Center.
The Boxers scored first as Olivia Cook (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.) hit a jumper in the paint, before the two teams exchanged baskets and took a 4-4 tie into the third minute of the game. With 17:49 left in the first period Kaila Johnson (Sr., McKinleyville, Calif.) hit a 3-pointer to put Pacific ahead 7-4.
After a blocked shot by Cook and a defensive rebound by Johnson, the Boxers extended their lead to six points when Abby Jones (Sr., Haines, Alaska) assisted on 3-point make from Nani Ostrom (Sr., Juneau, Alaska).
The Loggers battled back and took a lead with 14:43 remaining in the half, before a seesaw battle saw the lead change three times in a stretch of two minutes. At the end of the back-and-forth the Boxers found themselves with a two-point advantage on an Ostrom 3-pointer.
After Puget Sound cut Pacific's lead to one, Sarah Curl (So., Portland, Ore.) pushed the lead to three on a layup assisted by Lauren Lykins (Fr., Hillsboro, Ore.). The Loggers answered with a free throw make, but a steal by Curl allowed for Kyla Siri (Jr., Spring Creek, Nev.) to extend the lead to four with 10:54 remaining.
The Loggers looked to respond, but a Siri steal provided Curl with a layup opportunity that was followed by a pair of free throw makes from the sophomore, which pushed the Boxers' lead to eight at 30-22.
Puget Sound chiseled away at the Boxers' lead, eventually cutting it down to two with 3:40 on the clock.
A Pacific turnover allowed the Loggers to tie the game at 36-36, before a quick back-and-forth saw the scoreline sit at 38-38 with 2:37 remaining in the opening period.
The two teams held each other scoreless for the next two minutes, before Ostrom hit a jumper with 35 seconds left to give Pacific a 40-38 lead heading into the halftime break.
Pacific used Ostrom's late jumper to build momentum as the second period began with a 3-pointer from Ostrom seven seconds into the half.
The Boxers pushed out to their largest lead of the evening at the 13:09 mark on an Ostrom 3-pointer off a Cook assist.
Trailing 52-43, Puget Sound rattled off five-straight points, before Cook made a lone free throw and the Loggers pulled together another five-point run to tie the game at 53-53 with less than ten minutes remaining.
Pacific and Puget Sound battled back-and-forth until, with the score tied 56-56, an Alex Noren layup set the Loggers on an eight-point run to give the home side an eight-point lead with 6:08 left in regulation.
The Boxers managed to cut Puget Sounds lead down to five with 2:31 left on the clock, but the Loggers managed to fend off the Boxers over the final two minutes of the game to wrap-up a seven-point home victory.
Ostrom finished with 19 points and three steals, while Cook notched her eighth career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Curl and Siri each tallied 11 points on the evening, and Johnson posted a 10-point performance.
The Boxers return to the Stoller Center on Friday when No. 13/17 Whitworth comes to Forest Grove for a 6 p.m. scheduled tip.