SPOKANE, Wash. - Natalie Orrell scored 18 points to help Whitworth University hold off visiting Pacific Lutheran University 71-62 in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday night, keeping the Pirates playoff hopes flickering.

Natalie Orrell led all players with 18 points

Whitworth (12-10 overall, 7-6 NWC) build a 16 point, second half lead and then held off a hard charge by the Lutes (11-11, 4-9).

Orrell (Jr., F, Wenatchee, Wash.) scored nine points in each half for her game-high total, while Cassie Snyder (Sr., G, Spokane, Wash.) added 13 points, 11 of which came after halftime. Tiffany Corigliano (Jr., P, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) finished with 10 points and nine rebounds to lead the Pirates in boards.

PLU's Nikki Scott came off of the bench to tie Trinity Gibbons for team-high scoring honors with 14 points. Gibbons also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double and led all players with six assists. Kyle Haag added 13 points for the Lutes.

Trish Buckingham's short jumper gave the Lutes a 20-18 lead midway through the first half. To that point there had been two ties and three lead changes. But Whitworth ended the first half on a 19-2 run as the Lutes only made one of their final eleven shots in the period. Whitworth went to the break with a 37-22 lead.

The Pirates led by as many as 16 points five times in the second half, the final time coming when Teresa Zeitler (Sr., G, Medical Lake, Wash.) sank a pair of free throws with 8:17 left for a 54-38 advantage. But the Lutes outscored Whitworth 16-6 over the next five minutes, including six points each by Scott and Emily Voorhies, to pull within 60-54 with 3:13 to play.

After the teams exchanged three pointers - Snyder for Whitworth and Gibbons for PLU - Whitworth made 8 of 10 free throws in the final two minutes to keep the Lutes at bay.

Whitworth remains two games behind Lewis & Clark (9-4) for third place in the NWC standings after the Pioneers upset co-leader George Fox on Friday night.

The Pirates will host NWC co-leader Puget Sound on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The Loggers were upset by Whitman on Friday. PLU travels to Walla Walla to take on the Missionaries (8-5) in a 4:00 p.m. game.