BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A big scoring run was just what the Seattle Pacific Falcons needed to get back into the game in the third quarter.
 
But that left Western Washington with plenty of time to make game-breaking run of its own in the fourth.
 
After wiping out a 10-point deficit and forging ahead by two, the Falcons saw WWU put 17 of the next 21 points onto the scoreboard in Carver Gymnasium, and then hang on for a 58-50 women's basketball victory on Friday night.
 
"We did have a really good third quarter, and that's what we need to build off of for tomorrow," head coach Mike Simonson said in looking ahead to Saturday's rematch against the Vikings at home in Brougham Pavilion. "Western is a very good ball club. It took us a little bit to get used to their style of defense, but there are a lot of good things to build off of."
 
SPU (7-6) was without the services of leading scorer Ashley Alter, who missed the game with an injury. The junior forward averages 13.3 points per game, fifth-best in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
 

In Alter's absence, junior guard Rachel Berg stepped up with an 18-point performance, and junior forward Natalie Hoff added 12 points.
 
Berg tallied seven of those during the Falcons' third-quarter surge, including a 15-footer from the right of the lane that put SPU on top, 35-33 – its only lead of the night.
 
"Rachel had a really good second half (with 13 of her 18), and she was a big reason we bounced back," Simonson said. "And Natalie Hoff had a great game. I was really pleased with her play."
 
FAST START AFTER HALFTIME
Through a cold-shooting first half for both teams, Western Washington (3-0) stayed on top, twice by as many as 10 points at 20-10 and 24-14.
 
Still, Seattle Pacific was still within range at halftime, down just 27-20. It climbed within one at 30-29 early in the third quarter. Berg hit a driving lay-in and a 3-pointer from the left of the lane, Western's Dani Iwami answered with a trey, then Hoff buried a foul line jumper and a 17-footer from right of the key.
 
SPU finally tied it at 33-33 with 3:43 left in the third quarter. on a lay-in by sophomore post player Kayla Brundidge, who was back from an injury sustained at Saint Martin's on Feb 5. Just one minute later, Berg hit her go-ahead basket.
 
Western Washington scored the last five points of the third and the first two of the fourth to start its 17-4 scoring spree that produced its biggest lead of the night at 50-39 with just 3:20 left to play. The Falcons got within six on three occasions, but could come no closer.
 
"When we made our run, we made two or three defensive mistakes that took the wind out of our sails," Simonson said. "We have to be consistent and have to make sure we continue to make stops so we can build on that run."
 
BY THE NUMBERS
-- Rachel Berg hit two of her three shots from behind the arc, but she was the only Falcon to make one from that range, as the team hit just 2 of 12.
-- Natalie Hoff and Abril Rexach Roure each grabbed six rebounds. Rexach Roure's total tied her season high.
-- SPU committed just 14 turnovers, its second-lowest total of the season (11 was the lowest). That coach Mike Simonson's eye, as he said that while his team did not play well offensively, "that shows you the work we've done to take care of the ball."
-- For the game the Falcons shot just 30.9 percent (17 of 55). WWU hit 35.6 percent (21 of 59).
-- Rexach Roure had four points on Friday, leaving her just two away from the 1,000^th of her career.
 
UP NEXT
The season wraps up on Saturday when SPU and Western tip off at 5:00 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion. Prior to the game will be a Senior Day ceremony honoring forward Ashlynn Burgess.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday, March 5, 2021
Carver Gymnasium / Bellingham, Wash.
 
Western Washington 58, Seattle Pacific 50
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC (7-6)
Berg 6-13 4-4 18, Rexach Roure 1-9 2-2 4, Boston 2-8 0-0 4, Hoff 5-9 2-2 12, Mastora 0-4 0-0 0, Marlow 1-2 2-2 4, Brundidge 2-7 0-2 4, Pettingill 0-1 0-0 0, Burgess 0-2 4-4 4. Totals 17-55 14-16 50.
 
WESTERN WASHINGTON (3-0)
A.Dykstra 3-5 2-2 8, Iwami 6-8 2-2 16, Duff 3-12 2-2 9, Rogers 3-6 0-0 6, Olson 4-9 4-4 14, Fierke 0-0 0-0 0, Gimmaka 1-6 0-0 3, Coleman 0-3 0-0 0, Castaneda 0-4 0-0 0, R. Dykstra 0-1 0-0 0, Zaragoza 1-5 0-0 2.
 
Seattle Pacific                     6           14           15           15           -- 50
Western Washington         13           14           11           20           -- 58
 
3-point goals – SPU 2-12 (Berg 2-3, Rexach Roure 0-1, Boston 0-1, Hoff 0-1, Mastora 0-2, Marlow 0-1, Pettingill 0-1, Burgess 0-2), WWU 6-21 (A. Dykstra 0-1, Iwami 2-3, Duff 1-5, Olson 2-3, Gimmaka 1-45,. Coleman 0-3, Castaneda 0-2). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – SPU 34 (Rexach Roure 6, Hoff 6), WWU 43 (Rogers 8). Assists – SPU 10 (Rexach Roure 5), WWU ;9 (Iweami 3, Olson 3) Turnovers – SPU 14, WWU 18. Total fouls – SPU 13, WWU 17. Technical fouls – None.
 
 
Next game
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, March 6     5:00 p.m.