By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Willamette University sophomore forward Ava Kitchin (Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded three assists, but Pacific University built a 30-20 halftime lead on its way to a 65-55 win over the Bearcats at the Stoller Center on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Northwest Conference win advanced the Boxers to 12-5 on the season, 6-2 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 8-7 overall, 3-3 in the NWC.
The Bearcats pulled within 60-55 with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but Pacific hit 5 of 6 free throws the rest of the way to secure the win. Brilie Kovaloff led the Boxers with 24 points, while Camy Aguinaldo added 15 points and seven rebounds. Kovaloff was 9 of 17 from the field and sank two 3-point baskets. Sydney Gray tied Aguinaldo with seven boards.
Kitchin led Willamette in scoring and rebounding during the game. She was 8 of 14 on field goals. Sami Riggs (Jr., G, La Verne, CA/Bonita HS) tallied 12 points. Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil (Jr., F, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) added eight points, three boards, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. Amanda Carpenter (Grad., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) contributed six points and three rebounds, while Claire Bonnet (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Boise HS) earned four assists and four rebounds.
The game ended with Kitchin just two points away from her career-high of 21 points, set against Whitworth University on Feb. 8, 2020.
Willamette tied the game at 4-4 on a jumper by Carpenter with 5:32 left in the first quarter. Pacific pulled in front on a 3-pointer by Kovaloff that started an 8-2 run, giving the Boxers a 12-6 advantage after Aguinaldo put through a 3-pointer with 3:03 on the clock. The Boxers owned a 15-8 advantage at the end of the first period.
A layup by Ascuena-Mercil reduced the margin to five points just 10 seconds into the second period, and the Bearcats also pulled within five points at 17-12 on a jumper by Riggs with 7:58 left in the half. The Boxers eventually took a 26-14 advantage on a layup by Gray with 3:19 on the clock.
The Bearcats chipped into Pacific's 10-point halftime lead with an 8-3 run to open the third quarter. The run ended with consecutive baskets by Riggs, Kitchin, and Bonnet, as WU pulled within 33-28. Pacific tacked on the next five points and eventually held a 44-32 edge following a layup by Kovaloff at the 1:47 mark.
Kitchin hit 1 of 2 free throws for Willamette with 7:47 left in the game and added a layup 40 seconds later, reducing the Boxers' lead to 48-41. Aguinaldo increased the margin to 55-43 on a layup with 5:29 remaining.
The lead was 55-47 a bit later when a steal by Gray led to a foul by Kitchin against Kovaloff with 3:08 to go. The officials ruled the foul was intentional as Kovaloff attempted to move down the court. Kovaloff sank both free throws and then added a successful jumper on the ensuing possession to give Pacific a 59-47 lead with 2:48 on the clock.
Willamette put together an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 60-55 with 27 seconds left. The run started with two layups by Kitchin and a layup from Carpenter. After Aguinaldo hit 1 of 2 free throws for the Boxers at the 39-second mark, Carpenter completed the run with a pair of free throws for the Bearcats. Aguinaldo made a pair of free throws with 24 seconds to play, and Rilee Price went 3 of 4 at the line in the final 16 seconds to close out the win for the Boxers.
Both teams connected on 23 field goals, with Willamette putting up 51 attempts for 45.1% and the Boxers taking 57 shots for 40.4%. The Boxers were 4 of 13 on 3-pointers (30.8%) and Willamette was 0 for 11 from 3-point range. Pacific sank 15 of 19 free throws (78.9%), while the Bearcats finished 9 of 12 (75.0%) at the line.
The Bearcats will play Lewis & Clark College on Wednesday, Jan. 26 in a make-up game originally scheduled for Jan. 15. The rescheduled game will get underway at Cone Field House in Salem, Oregon, at 7 p.m. (PST).
