MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University women's basketball opened the scoring 18 seconds in against Sonoma State and led the rest of the way as they rolled to an 81-56 win over the Seawolves Saturday afternoon inside New PE Gym.
"I'm really proud of how this team competed all weekend. They have worked so hard and strive to get better every time they step on the court. They are so fun to coach and I feel like they are just scratching the surface of how good they can be," head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said.
WOU (3-1) dominated across the board shooting 50 percent (29-58) from the field, 7-19 (36.8) from three and 16-17 (94.1) at the foul line. The Wolves limited Sonoma State (0-4) to a 32.7 percent clip (17-52) from the field, 7-18 (38.9) from three and 15-29 (51.7) from the foul line. WOU controlled points in the paint (34-18), points off turnovers (23-14), and fastbreak points (10-2).
It was a balanced effort from the Wolves with five scoring in double-figures and 11 players scored at least three points. Meadow Aragon was efficient in 24 minutes on the floor scoring a game-high 15 points, along with eight rebounds and five blocks. She went 5-8 from the field, 1-1 from three and 4-4 at the foul line. Cali McClave added 12 points on 4-7 shooting and sister Ana McClave added 11 points and five rebounds. Tresai McCarver and Kaelin Williams-Kennedy recorded 10 points apiece. Princy Paaluhi-Caulk had a team-high four assists and McCarver added two steals. The block party was out once again for WOU sending back nine shots as in addition to Aragon's five, Cali McClave tallied two and one each for McCarver and Alexis Wright.
"We've talked a lot about how we need to put two halves together and be consistent throughout in order to compete in the GNAC and I think we did a good job of that today. I thought we took better care of the ball today and we finally made some free throws," Howard-Carpenter said.
WOU came out with energy and intensity right from the start similar to the game on Friday. Just 18 seconds in, Makenna Gambee tallied a layup off an assist by McCarver. Ana McClave later connected on a three-pointer and then Cali McClave hit a jumper on the next possession to move WOU out to the 7-0 lead.
Sonoma State (0-4) rallied back with an 8-2 run to pull to within one at 9-8. With WOU still holding a two-point lead, a jumper by McCarver helped start a 6-0 run with Williams-Kennedy adding a jumper and two free throws by Paaluhi-Caulk to push the lead to 17-9.
After the Seawolves fought back to within four down the stretch, WOU outscored SSU by five to take a 24-15 lead into the second quarter with Paaluhi-Caulk capping the quarter with a three-pointer.
The lead reached double-figures a minute into the second quarter on a layup by Cali McClave. Sonoma State answered back, fighting back to within two at 34-32 with a few minutes left in the half. The Wolves were able to close the half strong getting the lead back out to six on a layup by McCarver right before the break for the 40-34 lead.
WOU then sealed the deal in the third quarter as the Wolves scored the first 11 points of the quarter and kept SSU without a point until 4:48 left in the third. During the run, Cali McClave started the second half scoring with a layup just over a minute in. The McClave sisters then started to take over with Ana McClave coming up with a steal and fastbreak layup and after Ana McClave connected on a three-pointer off an assist by her sister, Cali McClave sunk two at the line. Williams-Kennedy closed the 11-0 stretch with a jumper for the 51-34 lead.
The Seawolves got as close as 11 the remainder of the third before a jumper by McCarver closed the quarter with WOU back in front by 14, 60-46.
Another big run early in the fourth quarter pushed the lead out even further for the Wolves. SSU started the scoring around a minute in when a Gambee layup helped start a 9-0 run. Williams-Kennedy added a jumper and then Aragon closed the run with a jumper and then a three for the 69-48 lead.
Sonoma State would get no closer than 19 points the rest of the way with WOU cruising to the 25-point win.
Camille Johnson led Sonoma State with 11 points, while Chasity Spady added 10 points.
"We have a quick turnaround as we head to Texas Tuesday. We'll get some rest, watch some film and be ready to keep building on what we've started," Howard-Carpenter added.
WOU will travel to Texas for two games this coming week as they will play at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Wednesday starting at 12 p.m. (Pacific) and then in Laredo against Texas A&M-International on Friday starting at 2 p.m. (Pacific).
