BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Freshman Katie Steigleman (Eugene, Ore.) and senior Kailey Bostwick (Medford, Ore.) combined to score 27 points on 9-for-25 shooting from the field, as Corban's women's basketball team fell to the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon, 72-53, Saturday evening inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

Leading into tonight's game, Corban had dropped the previous seven-out-of-eight contests, while Eastern Oregon entered tonight splitting their last four games. Both teams were looking to improve their season and conference marks, as well as make a late-season push towards the playoffs.

In the first half of play, the Warriors would come out firing thanks to three field goals from Steigleman, who opened the game with a 6-0 lead within the first 4:11 of the game. Coming out of an early time-out, thanks to a set of three-pointers and a few too many easy lay-ups, the Warriors would let the visiting Mountaineers embark on a remarkable 28-0 run until a jumper from sophomore Jennifer Hansen (Mulino, Ore.) stopped the bleeding temporarily, with Eastern Oregon up 28-8 with 6:08 showing on the clock. The Mountaineers would stretch their lead to 23 points (31-8), until a pair of three-pointers from Bostwick and Steigleman brought the game to a 19-point deficit (33-14) with 4:49 left in the half. Once again, Eastern Oregon would take the lead to 23 points (37-14), and once again, Steigleman and Bostwick would cut into their lead, this time using a three-pointer and a pair of free-throws, to bring the lead to 20 (39-19) with 19 seconds left on the clock. The Mountaineers would inbound off of the pair of made free-throws from Bostwick and drain a three at the buzzer, taking a 23-point advantage (42-19) into the locker rooms.

Coming out of the gate in the second half, the Warriors were determined to defend their home court, and got on the board early thanks to a successful jumper from sophomore Jennesa Miller (Mica, Wash.) that brought the game to a 42-21 score just 17 seconds into play. Staying in the game with their defense and a three-pointer from Steigleman, the Warriors would cut the once 23-point Mountaineer lead to 16 points (42-26) with 16:20 left in the game. A 12-7 Eastern Oregon run over the following 4:28 would take the Mountaineer lead back to 21 points (31-52) with just 11:52 showing on the clock. But, as usual, the Warriors would not go quietly into the night. Thanks to a three-point bomb from freshman Becky Buhler (Clackamas, Ore.) and a pair of three-point plays from junior Monique Tribble (Coquille, Ore.), the Warriors would go on a 17-9 run in just over seven minutes to slash the margin to a reachable 13 points (61-48) with 4:24 left in the game. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the visiting Mountaineers would go on their own run the rest of the game, burying any chance of a Corban comeback, and leaving the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center with a 72-53 win.

Along with Steigleman and Bostwick's double-figure scoring performances, the Warriors were aided in points by Tribble, Miller, and senior Ashley Connell (Spokane, Wash.) with nine, six, and four points respectively. Corban was dominated on the glass, loosing the rebounding battle 44-22, but did get quality production from Miller and Steigleman, who had six and five respectively, to lead the team.

Four players for the visiting Mountaineers would put up double-figures in scoring, including a team and game-high 17 from Tana Stickney. Stickney would also wrestle down 12 rebounds en route to recording the lone double-double of the night. Along with Stickney, Eastern Oregon was aided on the glass from Kyle Miller with six and a trio of others, who all recorded four each.

For the game, the Warriors shot 19-for-54 (35.2%) from the field, including 5-for-18 (27.8%) from beyond the arc. At the line, Corban would make 10-of-15 (66.7%), including a perfect 2-2 in the first half. On the other hand, the visiting Mountaineers were 22-for-50 (44.0%) from the field, as well as 7-for-19 (36.8%) from three-point range. Eastern Oregon showed why they are the best shooting team from the line in all of NAIA Division II going a remarkable 21-for-23 (91.3%) from the charity stripe.

With the loss, Corban falls to 9-15 in the overall standings, including a 5-11 mark in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. On the other hand, the visiting Mountaineers improve to 15-8 overall to go along with a 10-6 showing in CCC action. The Warriors will take to the court next Friday, February 13th, in Portland against the Knights of Warner Pacific beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside C.C. Perry Gym.