MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon women's basketball team came painfully close to snapping their losing streak on Thursday night, falling just short in a 55-53 loss to the Seattle Pacific Falcons at NPE Gym.
 
A buzzer-beating shot would prove the demise of Western Oregon (5-17, 2-13 GNAC), dealing them their ninth consecutive loss. Of their last four losses, however, two would be by four or fewer points and one would go to overtime.
 
The Wolves controlled play in the early going, out-scoring Seattle Pacific (8-15, 6-9 GNAC) 19-8 in the first quarter. That run included 57.1 percent field goal shooting to open the game on 14 attempts.
 
The first would be the only quarter the Wolves were able to hold the scoring advantage over the Falcons, but managed to take a seven-point lead into halftime and a one-point lead into the fourth. Having not trailed yet in the game, Western suffered their first deficit in the opening minute of the fourth when Bayley Brennan hit a 3-pointer to put SPU up 41-39.
 
The Falcons never led by more than four in the game, battling back and forth with the Wolves over the final 10 minutes of play. Western trailed by three at 53-50 with 24 seconds left to play and with SPU holding possession. Tresai McCarver was able to tie up Madi Hingston for a jump ball to earn possession back, setting up a chance for the tie. McCarver then delivered on a game-tying 3-pointer with just five seconds remaining. Stepping around a screen, the guard found herself open from the angle and sank her second 3-pointer of the night.
 
SPU was afforded just enough time left to get off one shot for the victory. Natalie Hoff set up at the right elbow with 5.6 seconds left, waiting for a pass from a baseline runner, and nailed a 15-footer as time expired to sink the Wolves.
 
"This was a heartbreaker to say the least, but I thought we battled and for the most part had good focus throughout," said Western Oregon head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter. "Both teams were short-handed but everyone stepped up on both sides to make for a great game."
 
WOU was led by the nine points of freshman Meadow Aragon who also tallied seven rebounds and an assist. McCarver played all but two minutes of the game, picking up eight points with four assists and three rebounds.
 
"We had a very balanced attack on offense and played with a lot of heart," added Howard-Carpenter. "We just have to be resilient and eventually these close ones will go our way."
 
Next up, Western Oregon will host the Saint Martin's Saints on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4:15 p.m. PST at NPE Gym.