By David Mair, Staff Writer
Coming back from a four-game losing road trip, the Pacific Lutheran University Women’s Basketball Team was seeking a win while at home for only three games.
The team played Lewis and Clark, University of Puget Sound and George Fox over the course of the week, unfortunately continuing their losing streak.
Game day took place Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. and 173 people filled Olson Gym to watch the Lutes go head to head with the UPS Loggers.
The Loggers cut down the Lutes over the course of the game, taking the win back home to the Sound at 68-49.
Following their defeat, the women laced up once again to take on the Lewis and Clark Pioneers, where they met there demise 43-58.
In their third home game stretch, they fell with a 36-point deficit to the George Fox Bruins, 49-85.
“It’s not too often we get the chance to play a team with that kind of caliber,” said head coach Jennifer Childress.
Heading into the game, George Fox was ranked fifth in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and ranked first in the Northwest Conference. They were and still are undefeated.
During Saturday’s game at 4 p.m., the fans piled into the LuteDome enduring the treacherous rain.
Both sides of the gym were filled with cheering fans from tip off to the final buzzer.
Energy was high since it was Admissions Game Day, where high school prospective athletes spent the day talking with coaches and finishing their visit by cheering at their possible new home.
The Lutes came out strong, holding a lead against the Bruins for the first five minutes of the game, but were just simply outplayed in the end.
George Fox was able to score 39 times off of PLU turnovers and shot 45 percent from the field.
“It was a tough team, but we still improved,” said coach Childress.
Junior Tayler Flemming, along with first-years Kate Kramer and Bailey Raines, all scored three pointers, causing PLU to lead the game in three point percentage at 25 percent.
At the end of two 20-minute halves, the women walked off the court with another loss, but with their heads still held high. They are now 1-11 in NWC, 4-17 overall.
Next, the Lutes will go on a two game road trip. The first stop is against the Willamette Bearcats, who are 1-9 in the NWC.
The game will be played at Willamette’s home court in Salem, Ore. When the two played each other earlier in the season, the Lutes prevailed in double overtime, 67-63.
Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
