OLYMPIA, Wash. – A quick start wasn’t enough to propel The Evergreen State College Geoducks to their first win of 2011 as they fell to the 18th-ranked Concordia (Ore.) Cavaliers, 75-57, in a Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
The Geoducks (3-12, 1-7 CCC) got off to a hot start, scoring the game’s first seven points, all in the first minute of play. The nationally-ranked Cavaliers (15-5, 7-1 CCC) slowly climbed back into the lead, using a jumper by Sarah Eischen to take a 17-16 lead with 12:25 left in the opening period.
Concordia continued to run the floor in their high-tempo offense but Evergreen worked hard to keep it close. An 8-0 run late in the first half put the Cavs up by double-digits as Concordia took a 41-28 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, the Cavaliers continued to extend the gap as their lead hit 20 on a jumper by Danielle Clausen with 11:31 left to play in the game. The Geoducks kept playing tough, managing to chip the lead back into the teens, but the Cavs proved to be too powerful as the visitors earned the 75-57 win.
Evergreen was led by 21 points from freshman Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS). Junior Vanessa Caskey (Tacoma, Wash./Pierce CC) added 10 points while Latifa Ward (Tacoma, Wash./Foss) brought down a game-high nine rebounds. The Geoducks outworked the Cavs on the glass, outrebounding Concordia, 39-33.
Concordia was paced by a game-high 22 points from Clauson, who also added seven rebounds and three assists in the winning effort. Courtney May added 17 points in the winning effort. Concordia took advantage of 22 Evergreen turnovers, scoring 26 points following giveaways.
Evergreen concludes the brief homestand on Saturday night when it plays host to Warner Pacific in a CCC game at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
GAME NOTES: Concordia ranked 18th in latest NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
Game Stats
Upcoming Games
- Saturday, January 15 (Home) vs. Warner Pacific College 7:30pm
- Friday, January 21 at Northwest Christian College 5:30pm
- Saturday, January 22 at Corban College 5:30pm
- Friday, January 28 at Northwest University 5:30pm
