Women's Basketball | 10/28/2014 8:56:00 PM

BOX SCORE

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University's women's basketball team tipped off the 2014-15 season with an exhibition victory over NAIA member Warner Pacific College, 61-55, behind a team-high 20 points by Dana Goularte Tuesday inside the New P.E. Building.

The Wolves, who officially begin the 2014-15 season on November 14 against Regis University in Game #2 of the Hampton Inn & Suites D2 Shootout in Monmouth, shot a combined 22-for-63 (34.9%) from the field and connected on 14-of-23 (60.9%) at the free throw line to go along with a 3-for-13 (23.1%) showing from beyond the three-point line. On the other hand, Warner Pacific (0-1) shot a combined 20-for-57 (35.1%) from the field, 9-of-25 (36.0%) from long distance, and 6-of-8 (75.0%) at the charity stripe.

Goularte led WOU with the aforementioned 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field, while Shyla Akins chipped in with 15 points for the Wolves. In the first half, Akins scored 11 of her 15 points with Goularte pouring in 12 of her 20 points over the game's final 20 minutes. On the boards, Jordan Mottershaw grabbed a game-high seven rebounds to go along with five points. Elise Miller handed out a game-high seven assists for the Wolves, while also registering a game-high six steals.

For Warner Pacific, Jordan Wilcox scored a game-high 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field that included an 8-for-18 performance from behind the three-point line. Wilcox was aided offensively by Daesha Jackson with 13 points, while the duo pulled down a team-high six rebounds each to go along with Lorena Torres' team-leading five assists. Brett Larson blocked a game-high seven shots for the Knights, while Kyeli Hendryx registered a team-high four steals.

Western Oregon began the game by scoring the opening two baskets on lay-ins by Goularte and Akins before Warner Pacific used a 12-3 run over a span of five minutes to grab its largest lead of the night (12-7) on a three-pointer by Wilcox at 13:58. Over the next four-and-a-half minutes, Western Oregon scored nine of the two team's 13 combined points en route to tying the game for the fifth and final time at 16-all on a lay-in by Goularte at 9:24. Over the final nine-plus minutes, the Wolves used a 15-3 run en route to securing a 31-19 lead at halftime with Mottershaw hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer to cap the scoring over the opening 20 minutes of play.

The second half would begin with Western Oregon pushing its lead to a game-high 20 points (39-19), as the Wolves scored the first eight points capping the run with a pair of free throws by Akins at 18:08. Warner Pacific would pull within seven points (41-34) by using a 15-2 run over a span of five minutes with Torres hitting a three-pointer at 13:05 to cap the run. Over the next 10 minutes, Western Oregon would slowly push its lead back to 20 points (61-41) on a fast break lay-in by Kelsey Henry at 3:34. The visiting Knights would close the game by scoring the final 14 points, but Warner Pacific could not get any closer than six points (61-55) at the final buzzer.

Western Oregon will return to the hardwood on Wednesday, Nov. 5, against NCAA Division I member University of Portland in an exhibition game beginning at 7 p.m. inside the Chiles Center in the Rose City.
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