FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Junior Jessica Edge (Lake Stevens, Wash./Skagit Valley CC) put up 26 for the Evergreen Geoducks but it was the Pacific Boxers who put up the win, collecting a 76-63 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Saturday evening at the Stoller Center in Forest Grove, Ore.
The Geoducks (1-4) took the lead just 24 seconds in as sophomore Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS) used a lay-up for the initial 2-0 lead over the Boxers (4-0). The teams continued to trade baskets early before the Boxers used a 9-1 run to pull ahead by eight with 11:59 to go in the opening period.
Evergreen eventually chipped away at the Boxer lead, reclaiming the advantage on the second of two free throws by Edge with 2:19 left to play in the period. Evergreen managed to build a three-point late but a long-distance basket by Pacific’s Kandice McArthur tied things up at 35-35 heading into the half.
Things stayed tight to open the second half as the two squads exchanged baskets but a 10-0 run by the Boxers gave Pacific a 47-39 lead with 13:14 left to play. Evergreen battled to keep the differential in single-digits but the Boxer lead hit 11 with 5:40 left to play on a lay-up by Brittney Anderson. The Geoducks fought back to get back within single digits but the Boxers pulled back into the teens, collecting the 76-63 victory.
Evergreen was led by the 26 from Edge. Sami Clark (Monroe, Wash./Edmonds CC) played all 40 minutes, chalking up 15 points on the night while Danielle Swain collected the double-double, her second of the season, with 12 points and 11 rebounds on the night. The Geoducks held a 36-20 advantage on the glass but turned the ball over 25 times, compared with just 14 for the Boxers.
Pacific was led by 29 points from Erica Shultz, who was eight-of-10 from the field and 11-of-13 from the charity stripe. Paige Jenson added 12 points for the Boxers, who shot 49.0% from the field, including 35.7% from behind the arc to get off to their best start since 2003-04.
Evergreen returns to the court on Tuesday evening when they play host to Northwest Indian College in a non-conference tilt. Tip with the Eagles is set for 6 pm at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
