The University of Redlands women's basketball team came up short in defeating a second top-10 nationally ranked opponent this season, falling to the No. 6 Lewis & Clark College Pioneers by a score of 69-89 in Currier Gym. Following the squad's upset-victory of No. 2 George Fox University on Nov. 21, Saturday's game marked the second time that the Bulldogs faced a team among the nation's top 10 from the Northwest Conference during the 2012-13 campaign.
Against the Pioneers, the Maroon and Gray faced an early hole, falling behind 2-9 after just three minutes. The Bulldogs responded to the early deficit, however, and tied the game when senior guard Ashley Sevilla (San Diego, CA) drained a shot from downtown.
Unfortunately for Redlands, the Pioneers answered with a 6-0 run for a lead that they never relinquished.
The Maroon and Gray shot just 9-for-31 from the field during the first stanza and turned the ball over 12 times, resulting in a 15-point halftime deficit. One positive to take from the first 20 minutes was that the Bulldogs posted a perfect 10-for-10 effort from the charity stripe.
Knowing it would take an incredible comeback to top the No. 6 squad in the country, Redlands came out firing in the second stanza. Junior guard Marika Staton (El Centro, CA) scored the Bulldogs' first five points of the frame, hitting a three-pointer at the 18:06-mark.
The U of R cut the lead to 12 points with 11:51 left on the clock when Chelsea Katsch (Davis, CA) drove the basket for an and-one play.
But Lewis & Clark continued to hit its shots, refusing to allow Redlands to build any momentum.
Despite shooting a respectable second-half clip of 42.1% from the field, including an impressive mark from downtown of 57.1%, Redlands failed to overcome the deficit en route to its second loss of the season. The Maroon and Gray missed only one free throw, finishing at 93.3% from the line on the afternoon.
Junior guard Colleen Goeser (San Carlos, CA) played efficiently all game long, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. She also dished out six assists in addition to nabbing three steals. Staton tallied a team-high 15 points, while junior forward Brittany Oster (Agoura Hills, CA) chipped in 12 points and six boards.
Off the bench, sophomore guard Claire Stach (Portland, OR) provided a much needed spark, scoring 10 points on a 3-for-4 shooting performance in an efficient 15 minutes.
Leading the way for the Pioneers, Kristina Williams scored a game-high 23 points while also grabbing nine rebounds.
Redlands (6-2) returns to the court on December 18 when it takes on regional rival Trinity University (TX). Tip off in Currier Gym is scheduled for 7 p.m.
