Western Oregon Women Host Saints And Redhawks This Week

Western Oregon leads the GNAC in three-pointers made per game with 7.19.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

MONMOUTH - Western Oregon pulled off the upset thus far of the 2006-07 season with an 84-77 victory over defending conference champion Western Washington on Saturday night.

The victory snapped a 14-game losing streak for the Wolves, and also clipped a 27-game Great Northwest Athletic Conference skid.

WOU’s last win in conference play prior to Saturday night was on Feb. 12th, 2005, a 61-58 win over Seattle at the Physical Education Building.

Coach Greg Bruce’s team will stay home this week, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday at 5:30 PM and Seattle University on Saturday at 7:00 PM at the Physical Education Building.

Wolves Play Cinderella:

The team picked to finish last defeated the conference favorite on Saturday when the Wolves upended the Vikings.

Leada Berkey had 34 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Kori Seymour added 20 points, 16 of those coming in the second half in a game that featured 19 lead changes.

But the win was product of ALL the parts fitting into place, according to coach Greg Bruce.

“We had played three good teams pretty close the past two weeks (Seattle Pacific, Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene), so I felt like we were starting to come around. The kids are buying into what we want them to do. Against Western Washington, the whole package finally came together on one night. It wasn’t just Leada, although she played her most complete game of the year, it was everyone else doing something special to help us win.”

Leada’s Legend Grows:

Junior forward Leada Berkey hit now hit for 30 points or better five times this season, tying a Great Northwest Athletic Conference mark co-held by Adrienne Taalak of Alaska Fairbanks (2003-04).

She currently leads the conference in scoring (21.9), is second in rebounds (9.6) and lists sixth in assists (3.2).

Her 2.5 three-pointers made per contest is first in the conference.

Prior to the weekend games, her 21.1 scoring average ranked ninth nationally in NCAA Division II.

Berkey bonus:

The 5-8 forward is second in the GNAC in doubles-doubles (scoring-rebounding) with eight on the season.

In 2.5 seasons, she already has 887 career points and 505 rebounds.

By The Numbers:

Do-it-all Leada Berkey leads the Wolves in scoring (21.9), rebounds (9.6), assists (3.2), steals (22) and three-pointers made (40).

Brittany MacGregor leads the club in free throw percentage at .846 (22-26) and is second in assists (2.0).

Kori Seymour averages in double figures (11.2), and Jodee Wilson leads in blocked shots with 10.

Saints, Redhawks March In:

The Wolves will continue play at home this week, welcoming Saint Martin’s and Seattle.

Saint Martin’s lost an overtime match-up with Seattle last Thursday (70-58), falling to 5-11 on the season and to 1-4 in the GNAC.

The Saints have now dropped six of their past seven contests, after playing mostly .500 basketball through the pre-season schedule.

SMU will be looking for its first road win of 2006-07, and will bring a balanced attack to the Physical Education Building.

Junior transfer Jessi Reome (5-10, Montana State-Northern) leads the squad with 9.6 points a game, while 6-0 senior post Whitney Golub adds 7.9 points and 7.6 rebounds a contest.

If the Saints get ahead, don’t let freshman Jamey Gelhar (Brush Prairie, Wash.) get to the free throw line, as she leads the GNAC at .949.

Saint Martin’s has won the last six meetings between the Wolves and Saints, and SMU leads the all-time series, 18-10.

Seattle has already topped WOU once this season, drilling the Wolves 74-42 on Jan. 4th at the Connolly Center.

The Redhawks are now 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the GNAC, tied for second place.

They walloped previous GNAC leader Northwest Nazarene on Saturday (75-50), and their only losses on the season have been to fellow GNAC title contenders Alaska Anchorage and Western Washington, and to then-No. 4 nationally ranked North Dakota and to Cal State LA.

5-11 junior Laina Sobczak leads a balanced scoring effort with 11.4 points a game and 5.6 rebounds, while 5-4 senior Ashley Brown brings an all-around effort of 8.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game.

Brown also ranks second in the GNAC in free throw percentage (.882) and leads the loop in steals with 2.5 a game.

Seattle has won the last three games in the series vs. the Wolves, but WOU leads the all-times series, 17-15.

WOU Probable Starters:

F—20 Leady Berkey (5-8, Jr.), Amity, Ore.

C—24 Jodee Wilson (5-11, Jr.), Lebanon, Ore.

G—23 Brittany MacGregor (5-6, Jr.), Vancouver, Wash.

G—22 Kaila Hawley (5-7, Sr.), Cordova, Alaska

G—12 Kori Seymour (5-7, So.), Grants Pass, Ore.

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