Woods scores 10 in losing effort
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Looking to end 2010 on a high note, The Evergreen State College Geoducks battled with the Northwest University Eagles before falling 69-59 in a Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball game on Thursday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
Playing their first game in 12 games, the Geoducks didn’t show much rust early as they pulled out to an early 7-2 lead. The Eagles tied the game up and pulled ahead but as many as nine but Evergreen fought back, pulling back within three points at halftime, 28-25.
Latrina Woods (Skyway, Wash./La Sierra Univ.) paced Evergreen in the first half with seven points while Maddie Graves (Spokane, Wash./Mead HS) added five in the first 20 minutes. The Geoduck defense was also busy, picking up seven steals while forcing 11 turnovers in the half.
The Geoducks climbed within one early in the second half on a bucket by senior Cambria Smith (Anaheim, Calif./La Sierra Univ.) but the Eagles continued to hold the slim lead for most of the period. Northwest tried to widen the gap but Evergreen kept fighting, forcing the Eagles to make their shots. Evergreen played hard to the final buzzer but the Eagles finally wore down the Geoducks to take the 69-59 victory.
Evergreen was led by 10 points from Woods, who also added a pair of assists in the losing effort. Four other players finished with eight points as the Geoducks shot 33.3% for the game. Defense was a positive for TESC, as the green and white forced 17 turnovers with nine steals on the evening.
Northwest was led by 14 points each from Erika Hornyak, Brittney Marshall and Kia Gibson. Gibson also added a game-high 12 rebounds to collect the double-double for the Eagles. NU had a good night on the glass, outrebounding Evergreen, 50-41.
The Geoducks take to the road next weekend, traveling to take on Southern Oregon (Friday) and Oregon Tech (Saturday) in a pair of CCC games.
GAME NOTES: Northwest among those Receiving Votes in the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
