Women's Basketball | 1/8/2011 5:39:08 PM

Box Score [Box Score]

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - For the first time this season, the Western Oregon women's basketball team did not emerge victories in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest, falling 83-67 to No. 13 Western Washington Saturday, Jan. 8, in what was a de facto match-up for first place in the conference standings.

The loss breaks WOU's four-game GNAC wining streak, putting them at 6-7 (4-1) on the year. The Vikings of WWU, winners of their last seven games, improved to 12-1 (5-0) with the win.

Junior forward Rylee Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) led all scorers with 19 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Senior guard Sara Zahler notched 14 points and sophomore guard Lorrie Clifford recorded a season-high 13 points to go along with five assists.

The two teams traded baskets until a three-pointer by Clifford gave WOU a 10-8 lead with 16:20 remaining in the first half. The Wolves would score ten of the next 12 points to go ahead 20-10 at the 13:01 mark. They still led 22-13 with 12:15 left to play in the first stanza, but WWU would go on a 12-3 run to knot the game at 25-all with 7:55 remaining. A free throw by Peterson momentarily stemmed the tide, but the Vikings would connect on a three-pointer and a jumper to take a 30-26 lead at the 6:39 mark. WWU would go up by five with 1:42 left, but Western would trim the Vikings' lead to two (41-39) on a lay-up by Peterson to end the half.

"I thought we played well in the first half," WOU head coach Greg Bruce said. "We weren't intimidated by their record or ranking, and we were able to have some success, both outside and inside. Rylee had a great first half, and it was good to see Lorrie out there playing well."

Peterson (16) and Clifford (11) combined for 27 of WOU's 39 first-half points. The Wolves shot 45.5-percent (15-33) and connected on 5-of-12 three-point attempts.

The second half was a different story, as the Wolves would manage to even the margin twice early, the last of which came on a jumper by Peterson with 19:01 left to play. The Vikings would stretch their lead to nine (54-45) at the 16:26 mark, and Western would cut it to five one minute later, but WWU would go on a 23-6 run spanning 11:02 to effectively put the game away.

"The second half kind of got away from us," Bruce continued. "We knew they were going to come out strong, which they did, and we did not have an answer for their zone. I thought we fought and played well down the stretch. It just wasn't enough against this very good, very well-coached team we faced today."

The Wolves shot just 39.3-percent (11-28) in the second stanza while the Vikings shot almost 52-percent (14-27). WOU also turned the ball over ten times and was outrebounded 23-10 in the second period.

Western Washington had six players in double-figures, led by senior forward Lauren Hefflin and guard Kristin Schramm, both of whom had 16 points.

The Wolves return home to face their second top-fifteen opponent in as mant outings, hosting No. 12 Alaska Anchorage Thursday, Jan. 13. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 pm.