PORTLAND, Ore.—With scoring totals separated by a single point in each of the first three quarters, Concordia University used a nine-point run in the fourth to defeat Western Oregon, 65-61, in GNAC women's basketball action at LCEF Court on Tuesday night.
 
Concordia (8-9, 3-6 GNAC) outscored Western Oregon (6-9, 3-6 GNAC) by one point in each of the first two quarters for a 32-30 lead at the break while the Wolves gained a point back in the third. 

A surge punctuated by an Olivia Vezaldensos 3-pointer with 1:07 left in the first gave the home side a brief lead before the two teams traded counters until the final quarter. 
 
The Cavaliers held WOU without a basket through the first six minutes of the final quarter to generate its largest lead of the game (57-49).
 
A Natalie DeLonge layup off the glass pulled the Wolves to within six, only to be returned with a 3-pointer by Tamika Etherly at the other end to stretch the gap to nine points. WOU's Teresa Acock drained one of her three 3-poinetrs while DeLonge converted a pair of free throws in the waning moments for the final score. 
 
Western Oregon finished with a decisive 49-33 edge in total rebounds, but nearly doubled its counterpart in turnovers (14-to-9). The game featured 11 lead changes through the first three quarters before the Cavs held the lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter. 
 
With a team-high 22 points, Natalie DeLonge continued her streak of offensive outbursts and now has a run of nine straight games with at least 14 points and three straight with 20-plus performance. 

"This is an extremely difficult loss to swallow. Concordia wanted it and made plays down the stretch and we just couldn't close in the fourth," WOU head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said. "Our shooting drought in the third didn't help but we were still defending and crashing the offensive glass."

Acock finished with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. 

Western Oregon will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 26 when it travels to face Montana State Billings. Opening tip against the Yellowjackets is set for 6 p.m. (MST).