BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team led after the first quarter and trailed No. 6 Western Washington by just a point at the half, but struggles in the third quarter cost the Wolves as they lost 67-47 Saturday night at WECU Court at Carver Gym.

WOU (7-8 overall, 1-6 GNAC) led the Vikings (13-1, 7-0) 19-18 after the first quarter after falling behind 10-0 to start the game as a bucket at the end of the quarter by Ana McClave gave the Wolves a one-point lead.

WOU extended the lead to 26-19 with 6:46 left in the second after a Cali McClave 3-pointer, but WWU slowly regained the lead 32-31 at the half.

The Wolves were then outscored 22-5 in the third quarter and couldn't recover.

"Western Washington is a talented team with a deep bench and I thought we went in and got them on their heels in the first half," WOU coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said. "We left everything on the floor and I can't ask any more than that."

A difference in the contest was at the line as the Vikings went 13-for-15 on free throws while WOU was just 2-for-4.

Princy Paaluhi-Caulk led the Wolves with 20 points while Ana McClave had 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.

WOU returns home to take on Alaska Anchorage 7:30 p.m. Thursday..