MONMOUTH, Ore. --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team dug itself a 23-point hole to Seattle Pacific at the end of the first quarter, only to slowly rally and take a 57-56 lead on a Princy Paaluhi-Caulk 3-pointer with 4:52 remaining in the contest and forcing the Falcons to call timeout.

However, SPU regrouped with a 10-0 run out of the timeout and pulled away as the Wolves fell 70-61 Thursday night at New PE Building.

"SPU is a solid team and they came in ready to go," WOU coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said. "They run good stuff, shoot the ball and are well coached. Despite getting down big in the first, we showed a lot of heart coming back in the second. We stayed locked in and really fought to take the lead in the fourth, but had a few turnovers and lapses defensively that really hurt us."

The Falcons (9-4, 4-1) took a 27-4 lead after the first quarter on WOU (7-5, 1-3) after going 10-for-13 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the opening 10 minutes. However, the Wolves turned the tables in the second quarter, outscoring SPU 25-11 to cut the deficit to 38-29 at the half.

The Wolves trailed 56-49 with under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before an Amber Winkler bucket ignited an 8-0 run - capped by the Paaluhi-Caulk 3-pointer at the 4:52 mark to make it 57-56 WOU. The only lasted 28 seconds as SPU drained a 3-pointer on its next possession and followed it up by another 3-pointer and a pair of baskets to make it 66-57 with 2:23 left as WOU wouldn't get closer than seven the rest of the way.

Paaluhi-Caulk led the team with 22 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals while Cali McClave had 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

WOU returns to action 2 p.m. Saturday at home against MSU Billings.