Women's Basketball | 1/22/2011 3:48:12 PM

Box Score [Box score]

SEATTLE, Wash. - Senior guard Sara Zahler scored a game-high 16 points and junior forward Rylee Peterson recorded her second straight double-double for Western Oregon but a 14-5 second-half run by host No. 20 Seattle Pacific saw the Wolves fall 64-54 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday, Jan. 22.

Zahler (Newberg, Ore./Newberg) connected on six of her 11 field goal attempts, including four of seven from three-point range. She also snagged seven rebounds. Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) scored 12 points and grabbed ten boards for her second consecutive double-double. Peterson also blocked five shots and dished out three assists.

Western (7-10, 5-4 GNAC) would trail 32-21 at halftime but would get to within five points at 42-37 with 11:09 left in the game. Seattle Pacific (12-4, 6-2 GNAC) would answer with a 14-5 run to extend their lead to 56-42 at the 6:00 mark. The Wolves would cut the deficit to nine points twice, the last time coming on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Lorrie Clifford (Eagle River, Alaska/Chugiak) with 2:49 remaining. A three-pointer by SPU would put the hosts back up by double-figures, effectively putting the game away.

"I was extremely pleased with our effort today," WOU head coach Greg Bruce said. "I thought we matched their energy and intensity and really played hard."

WOU largely outplayed Seattle Pacific in the second half, outscoring the hosts 33-32 and shooting 44-percent (11 for 25) from the field. The Falcons were held to just 34.4-percent (11 for 31) shooting. Western also connected on 50-percent (3 for 6) of their three-point attempts compared to 22.2-percent (2 for 9) for SPU.

Redshirt freshman forward Katie Benson led Seattle Pacific with 15 points.

The Wolves will now return to Monmouth for a three-game homestand, playing host to Saint Martin's next Saturday in a GNAC counter. Tip-off time is set for 5:15 pm PST.

NOTES
WOU did not attempt a free throw until the 1:30 mark of the first half. SPU was eight for ten from the charity stripe at that point . . . The 64 points were the lowest SPU has scored against the Wolves since Jan. 6, 2007 (a 61-57 SPU win) . . . Zahler's 16 points was a career-high against SPU. Her previous best was a ten-point outing in her first career game against the Falcons . . . Today's game was WOU's third straight with under 20 turnovers.