The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 52

Published 5/22/13   |   Log In

A tale of two games

Guard Suzanna Ohlsen dribbles through opponents on Senior Night on Feb. 23. Ohlsen is second on the team in points at 13.1 per game and leads the Falcons in steals.
Photo credit: STERLING MITCHELL/The Falcon.

Regular season ends; Falcons prep for GNAC

By AUSTIN HACKETT, Staff Reporter

Published: March 6, 2013

The Seattle Pacific University women’s basketball team played its last two games of the regular season on the road this past week, facing the Central Washington Wildcats on Thursday night and the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders on Saturday night.

The Falcons (16-10, 10-8 GNAC) showed resiliency in their comeback 71-65 win over the Wildcats (9-17, 4-14 GNAC). At one point, they trailed by as many as 15 points before battling back. Against the Crusaders (19-7, 11-7 GNAC), however, the Falcons had an off game, losing 82-65 in their final game of the regular season.

“The season didn’t go as planned since we thought we’d get first or second, but you don’t plan on injuries,” head coach Julie Heisey said. “But the season still went well. We improved and persevered. We know we can beat any team in the conference. I really believe anything is possible, and I’m proud of my girls.”

With the exception of one possession, the Wildcats led in the early stages of Thursday night’s game.

As the half progressed, the missed shots began to pile up for the Falcons, and the Wildcats capitalized. The Wildcats went on a 10-2 run towards the end of the first half to claim a game-high 15-point lead. At that point, Heisey called a timeout for the Falcons needed to regroup. After that point, the Falcons really stepped up their game, going on an 11-2 run immediately afterward and entering halftime down only 38-32.

“We stepped it up on defense and offense,” sophomore guard Suzanna Ohlsen said.

The Falcons made sure they didn’t have the same slow start they did in the first half, as they went right to work on whittling away the Wildcats’ lead. It was at just past the 12-minute mark when senior guard Rachel Murray made a game-tying three pointer off an assist by Ohlsen.

The Wildcats quickly got their lead back, but at the three-minute mark, the Falcons made another three pointer, this time by junior forward Katie Benson off a Murray assist. Murray got her first double-double with 12 rebounds and 15 points. Benson led the team with 17 points, and Ohlsen added 15. The Falcons didn’t look back from that point, as they kept their lead and held on to win 71-65.

“I was really proud of Michelle Teng and Maddey Pflaumer. Both made huge plays, and everybody stepped up,” Heisey said. “We made a run in the second half, and they really saved us.”

Teng had a huge block that gave momentum to the Falcons, as they started their comeback, and Pflaumer had back-to-back rebounds followed by consecutive baskets in the second half to maintain momentum.

The Falcons’ game against the Crusaders on Saturday was similar to their game on Thursday, except they didn’t get a comeback win this time around.

The Crusaders took an 11-0 lead to start the game and never trailed. They led by as many as 20 points in the half and went into halftime with a 40-22 lead.

The second half was much better for the Falcons, as they won the half 45-42. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough for them to overcome the early deficit, as they lost, 82-67.

Benson led the team in points and rebounds with 26 and six, respectively.

“We showed a lot of heart in these two games. The loss will refocus us for the postseason,” Benson said.

Up next, the Falcons face the Montana State Yellowjackets (17-9, 11-7 GNAC) in the GNAC Tournament.

They split their regular season series.

“We have all the tools to win. We need to make sure we are there mentally so that we can beat them again,” Ohlsen said.

The Falcons are the No. 6 seed, and the Yellowjackets are the No. 3 seed. Only one game separates four of the teams for their conference record.

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