Forest Grove, Ore. - Willamette Women's Basketball had three players in double figures, led by Kaitlin Imai and Maya Sanders with 12 each, but lost 71-56 at Pacific.  Addie Hiler was the other Bearcat in double figures, scoring 10 points and grabbing a team-high five rebounds.

Pacific jumped out to early leads of 7-2 and 12-5, but four consecutive free throws by Hiler cut the lead to three points at 12-9 just past the halfway point of the quarter.  The Boxers pushed the lead back out to seven, but a three-pointer by Sanders pulled Willamette within four at 18-14.  Pacific went on another run, scoring the final seven points of the quarter to take a 25-14 lead after the opening ten minutes.

In the second quarter, the Bearcats were able to cut into the lead by outscoring the Boxers 17-16. Several Bearcats were involved in the scoring as Emma Floyd connected on a 3-pointer early in the quarter, Hiler and Elyse Waldal scored inside, and Imai hit a three.  A jumper by Gio Horner with just under three minutes remaining pulled Willamette closer at 35-27.  A layup by Daisy Boling-Schmidt in the final minutes made the score 41-31 in favor of the Boxers as the game went to halftime.

In the third quarter, the teams traded baskets and a Peyton Gardner layup pulled the Bearcats within nine at 45-36.  Unfortunately for Willamette, those were their final points of the quarter and Pacific ended on an 8-0 run to lead 53-36 after three quarters of play.

A basket by Boling-Schmidt broke the scoring drought for the Bearcats early in the fourth quarter, but Pacific continued their hot shooting and extended their lead to as many as twenty-four points at 64-40.  Willamette continued to battle but the closest they were able to get to Pacific in the final quarter was within fourteen on two free throws by Sanders.  A late layup by Hiler made the final score 71-56 in favor of the Boxers.

Willamette returns home for their next game as they host the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, January 25th.  Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm at Cone Fieldhouse.

Willamette Top Performers

Maya Sanders 4/7 field goals, 2 steals, 12 points

Kaitlin Imai 4/7 field goals, 2 steals, 12 points

Addie Hiler  6 free throws, 5 total rebounds, 10 points