PARKLAND, Wash. – Trailing by six points with less than four minutes to play in the game, visiting Whitworth came away with a 62-60 win at Pacific Lutheran on Saturday night in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game at Olson Auditorium, ending a five-game losing streak for the Pirates.
Ashlyn Peterson led the Bucs (7-12 overall, 4-6 in the NWC) with 22 points and hit the game-winning free throws in the final seconds.
PLU (also 7-12, 4-6) took an early 11-5 lead but Whitworth answered with an 10-2 run, including back-to-back three-pointers by Alex Goetz, to go in front 15-13. The Pirates led 17-16 after one quarter.
With the game tied 19-19 early in the second, Whitworth used a 9-1 run to open a 28-21 leadcon Ashlyn Nielsen's free throw with 2:03 to go. The Lutes closed to within 28-25 before Mya Bair's jumper gave the Bucs a 30-26 lead at the break.
Early in the third Goetz hit a three-pointer and Peterson followed with a free throw to give the Pirates their largest lead of the game at 37-28. PLU fought back to take its first lead of the second half on Brooke Samura's three-point play (45-44) with 2:31 to go in the quarter. The Lutes led 47-46 at the end of the third.
The teams traded leads four times over the first few minutes of the final quarter before PLU used a 7-0 run, capped by Kasidy Javernick's three-pointer, to take a 56-50 lead with 5:17 to go. Goetz answered with a three for the Pirates. Trailing 59-53, Whitworth fought back to tie the game at 59, thanks to a pair of baskets by Keely Maves. Each team had a chance at the free throw line in the final minute. PLU's Samura made one of two, while Peterson made both to put the Bucs up 61-60. Whitworth forced a miss at the other end and secured the rebound. Peterson hit one of two with 4.7 seconds left for the final margin.
Goetz added 19 for the Pirates, while Bair finished with six points, a team-high eight rebounds and six assists. Whitworth made 36% (20-56) from the floor, including 33% (7-21) from three-point range. The Bucs took advantage of their free throws by making 15 of 18 (83%).
PLU could not take advantage of a 51-36 edge in rebounds, including a 20-4 edge on the offensive glass. Sydney Reisner and Javernick scored a dozen points apiece to lead PLU. Samura had 11 and had ten rebounds.
Coming off the season sweep of the Lutes, Whitworth will stay on the road next weekend with a game at Lewis & Clark on Friday.
