BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – A ferocious second half comeback by Corban's women's basketball team fell short in a hard-fought 73-65 loss against the Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech Friday inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

With tonight's result, Corban falls to 3-6 overall and 0-1 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech improves to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in league games.

Senior Tess Bennett led the Warriors in scoring with 14 points, while senior Emily Tsugawa and freshman Jade Lowery added 11 points each. On the boards, sophomore Tara Vanweerdhuizen grabbed a team-best nine rebounds to go along with a game-high seven assists by Tsugawa.

Oregon Tech would begin the first half by breaking a 2-2 tie with a 21-6 run that resulted in a 15-point lead (23-8) at the 8:54 mark on a jumper by Maria Ramirez. Corban would get within single digits (25-16) thanks to an 8-2 run over a span of three-plus minutes, as junior Alison Evans hit a lay-in with 5:21 on the clock. Unfortunately, Oregon Tech would push its lead back to 17 points (33-16) with a 7-0 run that concluded on a free throw by Karly Leveque with just under 90 seconds remaining. The difference at halftime would be 15 points (35-20) in favor of the visiting Owls.

In the second half, Oregon Tech would push its lead to a game-high 25 points (59-34) on a lay-in by Nicole Aboumrad with just over 11 minutes on the clock before the comeback started for Corban. The Warriors would pull within five points (70-65) thanks to a 31-11 run over a span of 10-plus minutes, as Lowery hit a three-pointer with 26 seconds on the clock. Unfortunately, Oregon Tech would hit its free throws down the stretch resulting in an eight-point win (73-65).

Aboumrad would lead all scorers for Oregon Tech with 16 points, while three other Owls – Kassi Conditt, Ramirez, and Karissa Dixon – added 14, 12, and 10 points, respectively. Conditt would register a double-double with a game-high 16 rebounds, while she teamed with Leveque to hand out a team-high three assists each.

As a team, Corban combined to shoot 27-for-70 (38.6%) from the field that included a 4-for-15 (26.7%) showing from behind the three-point line and a 7-for-12 (58.3%) performance at the free throw line. On the other hand, Oregon Tech was 25-for-61 (41.0%) from the field, 2-of-9 (22.2%) from long distance, and 21-of-30 (70.0%) at the charity stripe.

Both teams will return to action tomorrow – Saturday, December 1st – when Corban hosts the nationally-ranked Raiders of Southern Oregon in Salem and Oregon Tech closes out its CCC opening road trip against Northwest Christian in Eugene. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. for both games.