Kelsey McKinnis and Amanda Forshay combined for 38 points and 18 rebounds on Tuesday night to lead the visiting Puget Sound Loggers to a 70-54 Northwest Conference women's basketball victory over the Pacific Lutheran Lutes in Olson Auditorium.
McKinnis scored 18 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, while Forshay scored 20 points and added six boards for the Loggers, who improved to 11-9 overall and 4-7 in the conference. The Lutes, meanwhile, are now 6-12 overall and 3-8 in the NWC, one game back of Puget Sound in the standings.
As happened in an early season meeting between the two clubs, Puget Sound used a run late in the first half to open up a tight game and eventually break away from the Lutes.
PLU took its largest lead of the game less than five minutes in when Katelyn Smith hit a jumper to give her team an 8-4 advantage. Though there were a couple of ties, the hosts didn't give up the lead until Puget Sound scored 13 unanswered points over a six-minute stretch.
Forshay hit a three to start the run and tie the score, 22-22, at the 7:29 mark. The Loggers then took the lead for good, 25-22, on Forshay's conventional three-point play about one minute later. Forshay ended the spurt with a jumper, putting the visitors on top 32-22 with 2:39 left in the opening half. Erin Stumbaugh hit a pair of free throws with six seconds on the clock give UPS a 36-24 lead at the intermission.
The Lutes would have been in more serious trouble at the half had it not been for the hot three-point shooting of Kara Sherman. She was 3-for-3 from distance, the first of those banking in off the glass as she threw up a long three to beat the shot clock.
The Loggers took their largest lead of the game just 3:10 into the second half, 48-28, on a three-pointer by none other than Forshay.
Pacific Lutheran, to its credit, continued to play hard, but could get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Samantha Potter and Megan Abdo both scored 12 points and Sherman added 11 for the Lutes, who shot 35 percent (20-for-57) overall. Smith and Potter both pulled down eight rebounds, but the Lutes lost that category, 41-34. Abdo led the Lutes with four assists and Smith contributed four steals.
McKinnis and Forshay were the only Puget Sound players to score in double figures, and both hit a pair of threes as the Loggers shot 44 percent (8-for-18) from long range. Forshay added four steals and two assists and McKinnis had four assists in the winning effort.
Pacific Lutheran plays the final game in a four-game home stand at 6 p.m. Friday when the Linfield Wildcats, winless in the conference, come to Olson Auditorium.
- PLU -