TACOMA, Wash. - (From PLU Sports Information Office) The hot shooting of senior Emily Voorhies led the Pacific Lutheran women’s basketball team to an impressive 81-64 win over Whitworth in a Northwest Conference women’s basketball game played Friday night in Olson Auditorium.

Bower scored a game-high 20 points

Voorhies shot 9-of-12 from the field and pulled down seven rebounds as PLU (8-6, 1-4) earned its first conference win of the season. Whitworth (8-6, 3-2) was looking for its first road win against the Lutes since the 1993-94 season when it beat PLU, 70-42.

The Lutes jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first half on a jumper by Nikki Scott. The Pirates rallied back and a three ball from Molly Schlander pulled them within one, 16-15. Whitworth took the lead 20-18, but Amy Sprinker scored one of her two three-pointers to grab back the lead. The Lutes would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game. PLU went into the locker room with a 43-33 lead. PLU shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half (19-of-31), their best percentage in a half this season.

The second half was all PLU as it jumped out to a 49-35 lead. Whitworth used a 5-0 run to pull within nine, but that’s as close as they would get. The Lutes led by as many as 20 as they shut the door on the Pirates. PLU shot 50 percent from the field in the second half, tying the second best half of shooting they’ve had all season, only behind the first half of tonight’s game. The Lutes shot 55 percent for the game.

Alida Bower led the Pirates in points with 20, while Liz Horiatis came off the bench for 10. Tiffinay Corigliano had a game-high seven rebounds for the Bucs, who were outrebounded by the Lutes 45-24 in the game.

A total of four Lutes were in double figures in tonight’s game. Kyle Haag had 13 points, Amy Spieker added 12, and Trinity Gibbons had 11. Melissa Richardson led PLU in rebounding with nine.

Whitworth will try to bounce back at Puget Sound on Saturday afternoon. The game and radio broadcats will begin at 4:00 p.m.