Four Warriors Score in Double-Digits in Win Over Northwest

The Warriors also knocked home 4-for-6 (66.7%) from three-point range.

Corban junior Jessica Steigleman's had a team-high 16 points. Photo: Corban Athletics

SALEM - Four Warrior starters finished with double-digit point totals led by junior Jessica Steigleman's team-high 16 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field, as Corban's women's basketball team earned a season sweep of the Eagles of Northwest University, 58-51.

Despite falling behind early, the Warriors leached on to the offensive prowess of four starters as they fought their way back to defeat Northwest University for the seventh consecutive time and extend their winning streak to three games.

The Eagles came out strong, immediately converting 8-for-10 from the field in the opening seven minutes of play, taking a 17-5 lead with 13:22 left on the first half clock.

Baffled by this early let down, the host team clung to Steigleman who scored eight of her points in a 14-2 Corban run that evened the game at 19 with 7:41 remaining in the opening stanza.

Moments later, senior Tosha Wilson stepped up and knocked down a jump shot that gave the Warriors their first lead of the night (24-23 ) with 4:17 left before the teams headed into the locker rooms.

With desire to repeat the 90-61 route of Northwest that took place just weeks ago, senior Kendall Dionne found fellow senior Brianne Carras, who powered the low post and converted a scooping lay-up that allowed Corban a slight lead at 26-25 with 3:39 still on the first half ticker.

Alternatively, the Eagles had other plans about the night's contest.

Just one second before the first half horn, the visitor's Rachel Travis assisted Sam McCracken on an easily finished lay-up, after her four teammates broke the Warriors' full-court press, to hold a 31-30 advantage at the break.

The Warriors began their pursuit for victory with 16:07 remaining in the game as Wilson broke through the defense and made a lay-in that gave Corban a narrow 37-35 lead that it would never relinquish.

McCracken hit the latter half of two free throws that narrowed the home team's lead to just two (42-40) as 9:21 dangled on the game clock, but it was as close as the Eagles would get again.

Just minutes later, Dionne passed the ball off to senior Jessi Norton who hit her lone three-point field goal of the night while giving Corban a 49-42 lead with 6:04 left in the evening's encounter.

Dionne then dished off one of her game-high 8 assists to Steigleman whose "dagger" of a three-pointer was thrust into the Eagles and put the game out of reach at 55-45 with 2:02 remaining.

Corban continued to apply the pressure and, in fact, extended their lead to as much as 11 points (58-47) with 40 seconds left in the game when sophomore Rachel Steigleman tallied her lone point from the free throw line.

The Eagles recorded the final four points of the contest, including a three-pointer by McCracken, who was found by teammate Jennah Priest via a delivered ball to a wide-open McCracken, who slotted her lone basket from beyond the arc that made the final score 58-51 in favor of the Warriors.

Along with the elder Steigleman's team-high 16 points, Carras notched 13 of her own, while Wilson and Norton added 10 points each.

On the glass, Carras and Norton had a team-high six rebounds apiece.

As a team, Corban shot 23-for-57 (40.4%) from the field, including 8-for-15 (53.3%) from the free throw line.

The Warriors also knocked home 4-for-6 (66.7%) from three-point range.

Meanwhile, Northwest shot 20-for-41 (48.8%) from the field, including 9-for-16 from the charity stripe.

The Eagles also concluded with a 2-for-9 (22.2%) performance from beyond the arc.

Northwest was led by McCracken's game-high 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting from field, while pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds.

Sandberg and Travis added 14 and 8 points respectively, while Dani Drivstuen aided McCracken on the boards with 6 total rebounds.

With the win, Corban improves to 19-6 overall, 10-3 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action, and gives fifth-year head coach Dave Bale career win number 99 at the helm of the Warriors.

Meanwhile, Northwest pushed its winless streak to five games and falls to 9-17 overall, 4-10 in CCC play.

The Warriors will return to C. E. Jeffers Sports Center tomorrow nigh, when they host the Geoducks of Evergreen State College beginning at 5:30 PM with a chance to notch Bale's 100th career win at the helm of the Warriors.

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