OLYMPIA, Wash. – After building a double-digit lead before the halfway point of the first half, the Warner Pacific Knights built enough of a cushion to hold off the Evergreen Geoducks, 57-45, in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

The Knights (15-8, 10-3 CCC) took the lead on a three-pointer by Cameryn Calhoun just 31 seconds into the game and Warner Pacific would never look back as the Geoducks (4-19, 2-12 CCC) found themselves trailing by 11 with 12:21 left to go in the opening half.  Evergreen battled to get the lead back into single digits, finally getting the differential to nine on a jumper by Maddie Graves (Spokane, Wash./Eastern Washington) with 1:42 left to play in the first half.  WPC hit a basket in the final minute to push the lead back to 11, heading into halftime with a 29-18 lead.

In the second half, Evergreen managed to match Warner Pacific on nearly every basket but they couldn’t close the gap as the Knights used 23 points off turnovers to earn the 57-45 win to maintain their fourth-place standing in the conference table.

Evergreen was led by 14 points each from Sami Clark (Monroe, Wash./Edmonds CC) and Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS).  Swain earned 10 of her 14 points from the charity stripe, making 10-of-11 free throw attempts on the night.

Warner Pacific was led by 10 points from Kelsey Mattson, the only Knight in double-digit scoring.  Instead, the Knights spread out their baskets with nine different players registering points.  WPC did a good job passing, picking up 17 assists on 21 total field goals.

The Geoducks remain at home on Saturday night when they play host to eighth-place Concordia in a game crucial to Evergreen’s playoff chances.  Tip with the Cavaliers is set for 5:30pm at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

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