BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Center Ciara Pedroni had a game-high 14 points and added nine rebounds as Saint Martin’s University held The Evergreen State College scoreless for the first eight minutes and went on to a 53-45 victory in first-day action Friday at the 16th annual Western Washington University Lynda Goodrich Women’s Basketball Classic being held at Sam Carver Gymnasium on the WWU campus.

It was the second straight victory for the Saints, who also got 13 points from Brooke Paulson.

The game was a non-counting exhibition for Evergreen, which is 0-1 in official contests. Sadee Jones led the Geoducks with 12 points.

Saint Martin’s grabbed a 10-0 lead, with Pedroni scoring four of the first six points, as Evergreen didn’t reach the scoreboard until a Jessica Edge 3-pointer with 11:14 left in the first half. The Saints, who themselves experienced a scoreless drought of nearly seven minutes in the opening period, held a 21-17 lead at halftime.

The Geoducks scored the first six points of the second half to take a 22-21 lead, their only advantage of the contest, with 17:48 remaining. But the Saints responded with seven straight points, all by Paulson on a 3-pointer and two fast-break layins, regaining the lead, 28-22, with 16:18 left, and staying in front the rest of the way.

The Geoducks, which shot just 32.2 percent (15-of-46) from the field, pulled within three points on four occasions, but never got closer.

Saint Martin’s meets Carroll College MT at 12 noon in final-day play Saturday, and Evergreen plays host WWU at 7:30 p.m.

Story courtesy of Paul Madison, WWU Sports Information

Box Score

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A sudden outbreak of food poisoning among the Linfield College women’s basketball team has forced the postponement of next week’s non-conference game with the Geoducks in Olympia, which was scheduled for Nov. 29 at CRC Gymnasium.

The Wildcats were forced to cancel games this week at Pomona-Pitzer and Cal Tech.  Linfield also announced their Northwest Conference opener against Willamette, which was scheduled for Tuesday, will also be postponed.

A makeup date for the game between the Wildcats and the Geoducks is not yet available.  If the two teams cannot find a mutually agreeable date, the game will not be made up.

Linfield Release

TACOMA, Wash. – A strong second half wasn’t enough to propel the Evergreen Geoducks past the Puget Sound Loggers, falling 72-65 in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.

After struggling to find their shot early on Tuesday against Saint Martin’s, the Geoducks came out strong against the Loggers.  Evergreen managed 13-of-25 shooting in the first half for 52.0-percent, including six from behind the arc.  Puget Sound shot well themselves, making 44.8-percent, including nine-of-11 on free throws and a 19-9 rebounding edge to take the 38-33 lead into the break.

Evergreen continued to battle back in the second half, eventually tying the game at 56-56 with 6:53 left on a jumper by Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS).  Senior Jessica Edge (Lake Stevens, Wash./Skagit Valley CC) gave the Geoducks the lead on the next possession, dropping in a layup with 6:03 left to play.  The two teams traded the lead a few times down the stretch but the Loggers found a way down the stretch, earning the 72-65 win.

Evergreen was led by 20 points and 12 rebounds from Swain.  Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Skagit Valley CC) added 13 points.  After having just nine rebounds in the first half, the Geoducks finished with 37 rebounds on the night.

Puget Sound was led by 27 points from Kelsey McKinnis, who was 12-of-12 from the charity stripe.  Katy Ainslie added 14 in the win while Sarah Stewart chalked up 12 points for UPS.  The Loggers had a slight advantage on the block with five, compared with four for Evergreen.

The Geoducks are next in action on Friday at Noon when they take on Saint Martin’s in Bellingham, Wash. as part of the Lynda Goodrich Classic, hosted by Western Washington University.  The game will be a counter for SMU and an exhibition for Evergreen.

Box Score

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Junior forward Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS) scored a game-high 13 points but the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t hold off the visiting Saint Martin’s Saints, falling 47-37 in a women’s basketball exhibition on Tuesday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

The Geoducks held the lead early as the Saints had a hard time finding their touch offensively.  After falling behind 7-1, SMU pulled even at 7-7 and the two teams continued to trade baskets.  The Saints took their first lead of the game with 3:46 left to go in the opening period and SMU pushed the lead to four-points at halftime, 20-16.

In the second half, the Saints came out shooting as the lead hit double-digits with 12:02 left in the game and stayed in the teens nearly the rest of the way.  Sophomore Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) hit a jumper with two minutes left that pulled the Geoducks back within nine but it was too little, too late as Saint Martin’s earned the 47-37 win.

Evergreen was led by the 13 points form Swain, who also added seven rebounds in the exhibition loss.  Senior Jessica Edge (Lake Stevens, Wash./Skagit Valley CC) finished with seven rebounds as well, also adding six points and five assists on the night.  The Geoducks shot just 30.0% for the game, making 15-of-50 attempts.

Saint Martin’s was led by 12 points from Brooke Paulson.  Chelsea Haskey led the Saints with seven rebounds on the night while Angela Gelhar recorded four steals in the win.  The Saints shot 40.9% from the field, making 18-of-44 attempts.

Evergreen opens the season in earnest on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Tacoma, Wash. to take on Puget Sound.  Tip with the Loggers is set for 3 p.m. at Memorial Fieldhouse.

Box Score

LA GRANDE, Ore. – After being just one of two underclassmen named to the 2011-12 Cascade Conference All-Conference team, junior Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS)  has been named to the CCC Preseason All-Conference team for 2012-13 year, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon.

Swain finished her sophomore season ranked third in the Cascade Conference in scoring at 15.0 ppg and in rebounding at 9.6 rpg.  She was also fourth in the conference in blocks with a school-record 49 and her 3.39 offensive rebounds per game ranked her third in the CCC as well.  She was also a preseason All-CCC selection as a sophomore after earning Honorable Mention All-CCC honors as a freshman.

Senior guard Felicity Jones of College of Idaho was named Preseason Player of the Year.  Defending champion Corban led the way with three players named.  Nine of 10 schools were represented on the team, with Concordia being the lone school without a player named.

The men’s preseason all-conference team was named as well with Southern Oregon’s Eric Thompson being named preseason player of the year.

Swain and the Geoduck women open the 2012-13 season with an exhibition on Nov. 13 at home against Saint Martin’s.  Evergreen will then open up the season in earnest on Nov. 17 at Puget Sound.

2012-13 All-CCC Preseason Women’s Basketball Team