WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Up by one point with 90 seconds left to play, Whitman College fell a few plays short of closing the deal in a 65-61 non-conference women's basketball loss to Lewis-Clark State Tuesday night Sherwood Center.
L-C State 65,
Whitman 61
The Warriors, ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Division I national preseason poll, ran their early season record to 5-0. The game was Whitman's first of the season.
Whitman led by as many as five points in the first half and was up 32-31 at intermission.
LCSC took control over the first nine minutes of the second half, moving in front 47-39. But senior Jennifer Keyes responded with a 3-point strike that spawned a quick seven-point Missionary run.
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| Jenele Peterson |
After sophomore Meghan White put back an offensive rebound, senior Jenele Peterson swiped the ensuing inbounds pass and scored to pull Whitman to within 47-46 with nine minutes left on the clock.
The Warriors missed their next four free throws, including the front side of two one-and-one opportunities, before Tasha Bishop canned a jumper to give the visitors a three-point edge.
Whitman capitalized by knocking down five of six free throws to regain the lead at 51-49 with 5:39 remaining.
After Jasmine Stohr tallied the next four points for the Warriors, Peterson nailed a jumper near the top of the key to forge a 53-53 tie.
LCSC again countered with a four-point run, but junior Mary Madden put back another offensive rebound and sophomore Tiffani Traver picked off a pass and fed junior Kelly Peterson for a 3-point bomb from the right corner.
That gave Whitman its last lead of the night at 58-57 with just over two minutes left on the clock. It was a lead that soon disappeared as three different Warriors stepped to the free line over a 60-second span to drill six free throws.
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| Meghan White |
Whitman's last gasp came with 10 seconds left when Jenele Peterson lofted home her second 3-pointer of the night, cutting the Missionary deficit to 63-61.
LCSC's Brittany Niebergall, fouled after getting the inbounds pass, made both free throws to clinch the victory for the Warriors.
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| Mary Madden |
Jenele Peterson foir Whitman and Stohr for LCSC scored 21 points apiece.
White, a 6-foot center, came off the bench for eight points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals. Sarah Anderegg, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, also scored eight points.
Madden, a 5-foot-10 forward, was good for six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
LCSC, which started four seniors ranging in heighth from 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-3, dominated the backboards, outrebounding Whitman 52-36.
Whitman compensated by making 10 steals, blocking five shots and forcing 19 turnovers. The Missionaries also made 14 of 18 free throws while the Warriors converted their last eight charity tosses to finish 17 of 27 from the line.
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| Anna Forge Photos by Greg Lehman |
Whitman compensated by making 10 steals, blocking five shots and forcing 19 turnovers. The Missionaries also made 14 of 18 free throws while the Warriors converted their last eight charity tosses to finish 17 of 27 from the line.
"For our first game, we did a good job of competing against a very good team," Whitman coach Michelle Ferenz said.
"We didn't shoot very well, and except for two of the kids, we certainly didn't rebound very well."
With Anderegg scoring the game's first four points, Whitman led for much of the first half.
Jenele Peterson knocked down three jumpers and White hit one from the baseline to give the Missionaries an 18-13 lead at the midway point of the half.
Keyes nailed a three and White swished a pair of free throws to keep Whitman in front by five, 23-18, with just over seven minutes left.
The Warriors responded with five straight points to take their first lead at 27-26 with three minutes remaining. Baskets by White and Madden, followed by Traver's two free free throws staked Whitman to its 32-31 lead at the break.
Whitman heads east this weekend to play a pair of NCAA Division III games in Willamstown, Mass.
The Missionaries battle Williams at 3 p.m. (Pacific time) on Saturday and Tufts at 10 a.m. Sunday.
LCSC returns home to Lewiston, Idaho, to host a tournament this Saturday and Sunday.
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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu