PARKLAND, Wash. – Megan Dorney and Oliva Mayer combined for 35 points and 17 rebounds to lead visiting Whitworth to a 78-71 win at Pacific Lutheran in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday night.

The Pirates (9-13 overall, 4-9 NWC) avenged a loss to the Lutes (6-13, 3-9) earlier this season. 

Whitworth led 17-7 early in the game and took an 18-13 lead after one quarter.  The Pirates got six points from Mayer in the period and held the Lutes to 4-21 (19%) shooting in the first.

After PLU got within 23-19 early in the second, Whitworth scored six straight on three-pointers by Madison Hagen and Kimberly Dewey, to retake a ten-point lead.  The Pirates built the lead to 44-32 at halftime after Genevieve Symons hit a jumper from the free throw line with 13 seconds left. 

Dewey hit two free throws to extend Whitworth's lead to 46-32 at the start of the third, but the Lutes fought back to within 50-43 when Josie Napoli drove for a layup with 2:51 left.  PLU drew within 54-49 when Kasidy Javernick hit a three-pointer in the final minute, but Tara Kaneshiro scored the final basket of the period for Whitworth.

The Pirates outscored PLU 12-3 to open the fourth quarter, taking a 68-52 lead when Dorney stole the ball and drove the length of the floor for a basket with 5:42 to play.  Whitworth kept the lead in double figures until less than two minutes remained in the game. 

Dorney led the Pirates with 18 points and Mayer scored 16.  Hagen added 12 points, including three three-pointers, and Dewey added ten.  Mayer grabbed nine rebounds and Dorney had eight for the Bucs.  Kaneshiro had five of Whitworth's 21 assists as the Pirates finished the game with a 45% (27-60) from the field. 

Napoli scored 18 points for PLU while Javernick finished with 14.  The Lutes made only 31.6% (24-76) of their shots, but were 15-16 (93.8%) at the free throw line. 

The Pirates complete the trip to Tacoma with a game at Puget Sound on Saturday night.