Kelsey Bumgarner, Whitworth Sports Information Intern

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SPOKANE, Wash. - Pacific University defeated Whitworth University in a women’s Northwest Conference matchup Saturday night in overtime 66-64 at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Cassie Pilkinton

Erica Schultz hit a jumper from the key with 2:49 to play in overtime to lift the Boxers to victory. Neither team was able to score the rest of the period and Whitworth’s last chance to tie failed when Leah Pomante (Jr., G, Colbert, Wash.) could not convert a drive as time expired.

Pacific (2-8 overall, 1-1 NWC) shot 44% from the field and 85% from the free throw line to defeat the Pirates (6-5, 0-2). Rochelle Reeves led the Boxers with 14 points and a game high 11 rebounds. Kayla Akers and Brittney Anderson both contributed 12 points, and Erica Shultz had 10 points.

Whitworth was led by Cassie Pilkinton (Jr., G, Chelan, Wash.) with 17 points, nine of which were behind the three-point line. Tiffany Corigliano (Sr., P, Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) added 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Liz Horiatis (Jr., P, Woodinville, Wash.) had nine points. Whitworth shot 37% from behind the arc, but only 33% from the field.

Pilkinton opened the game with a trey and a two-pointer, but a three-pointer by Schultz at the 12 minute mark grabbed a 14-13 lead for the Boxers. From there on out the half was back and forth, led by the free throw shooting of the Boxers and outside shooting of the Pirates. Alida Bower (Sr., F, Onalaska, Wash.) put up a three-pointer to give Whitworth the lead 33-31 going into halftime.

The Bucs continued to lead early in the second half, gaining a ten-point cushion (52-42) after a jumper by Horiatis. However, Anderson led a Pacific comeback and scored eight points to take over the lead 54-53 and spur another back and forth scoring battle. Anderson scored another layup at the five minute mark to put the Boxers up 60-59, and both teams went scoreless for the next three minutes. Pilkinton scored a layup and Natalie Orrell (Jr., F, Wenatchee, Wash.) made one free throw as the Bucs went up 62-60, but two free throws by Schultz tied the score 62-62 at the end of regulation.

Juliane Erbe scored the first points a minute and a half into overtime to take the lead again for the Boxers. Bower tied the game with two free throws, but Schultz scored the last points of the game on a jumper with just under three minutes left.

Whitworth will travel to Oregon on January 9th to take on Willamette at 6 pm and Pacific returns home to play Pacific Lutheran.