Bruins Earn Share of NWC Lead as Posts Punish Pirates

George Fox improved to 7-4 overall with its third straight win and 3-1 in the conference.

George Fox Athletics

NEWBERG - With four post players combining for 44 points on 19-of-27 from the field, as George Fox handed the Whitworth College Pirates their first conference loss of the season and earned a share of the league lead with a 66-50 victory in Northwest Conference women’s basketball Saturday afternoon at the Wheeler Sports Center’s Miller Gym.

George Fox improved to 7-4 overall with its third straight win and 3-1 in the conference, while Whitworth dropped to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in the league.

Pacific Lutheran University and Whitman College are also 3-1, and the University of Puget Sound, at 2-1, played later Saturday.

The game was tied five times in the first seven minutes before the Bruins broke away from a 10-10 tie with a 10-0 run.

Kristen Shielee’s rebound basket and free throw gave the Bruins a 20-10 lead with 9:37 left, and the home team took a 33-26 lead into the half.

Melissa Marek-Farris, who scored eight of the Bruins’ first 12 points, led all first-half scorers with 11 points.

The Bruins scored the first nine points of the second period, taking a 42-26 lead with 15:22 to go on a layup by Elise Kuenzi, who had 11 second-half points.

The Pirates’ Natalie Orrell, the league’s leading three-point shooter, broke the string with a shot from long range, but the Pirates got no closer than 11 the rest of the way.

The Bruins took their largest lead of 23 points at 66-43 on a free throw by Robin Taylor with 2:29 left.

Kuenzi led all scorers with a career-high 17 points off the bench, making 7-10 shots, while Marek-Farris finished with 15 points on 6-8 shooting, and Katy Campbell added 10 while hitting 5-8 from the field.

Shielee, who made her only field goal attempt of the game, had three blocked shots.

Marek-Farris had eight rebounds and Campbell seven as the Bruins dominated the boards 40-33.

Taylor and Campbell had six assists each.

Susan McDaniel was the only Pirate in double figures with 10, and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, as did Alida Bower. Tiffany Corigliano had four assists.

George Fox plays its third straight home game Friday when Willamette University comes to Newberg for a 6:00 PM conference game, followed by the men’s NWC game at 8:00 PM.

Whitworth returns home to entertain Puget Sound Friday, with the women’s game at 6:00 PM and men’s game at 8:00 PM.

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