BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Four Warriors scored in double figures led by sophomore Tara Vanweerdhuizen with 18 points and 11 rebounds, as Corban's women's basketball team took one step closer to the Cascade Collegiate Conference playoffs with a 76-62 win over Warner Pacific Saturday inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

Along with Vanweerdhuizen's offensive performance, freshman Jade Lowery tallied 15 points to go along with a 13-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist night by senior Emily Tsugawa. Freshman Megan Benedict came off the Warriors' bench to knock down four three-pointers en route to scoring a career-high 12 points, while sophomore Katherine Salness and freshman Julia Young registered six and five points, respectively.

As a team, Corban (9-18, 5-11 CCC) combined to shoot 28-for-59 (47.5%) from the field that included a 9-of-20 (45.0%) performance from beyond the three-point line and an 11-of-14 (78.6%) showing at the free throw line. On the other hand, Warner Pacific (16-10, 11-5 CCC) was a combined 21-of-55 (38.2%) from the field, 5-of-19 (26.3%) from beyond the arc, and 15-of-18 (83.3%) at the charity stripe.

After the two teams opened the game battling to a 4-4 tie at the 17:55 mark, Corban went on a 10-0 run to pull ahead 14-4 on a three-pointer by Lowery with 13:39 on the clock. The host Warriors would push their lead to as much as 12 points (24-12) on a lay-in by Vanweerdhuizen with 7:28 left. Warner Pacific would battle back to within seven points (26-19) thanks to a 7-2 run that ended on with a jumper by Chelsey Christensen at the 4:32 mark. Over the final four-plus minutes, Corban used a 10-5 run en route to taking a 36-24 lead into halftime.

The second half would begin with Warner Pacific scoring the first 11 points to pull within one point (36-35) before Corban finally broke the scoreless drought with a three-pointer by Benedict with 14:48 remaining. Warner Pacific would battle back and takes its lone lead of the game at 44-43 on back-to-back free throws by Christensen at the 11:55 mark before Corban used a 15-7 run to go ahead by seven points (58-51) on an old-fashion three-point play by sophomore Haley Holboke with just under eight minutes left. The host Warriors would extend their lead back to double digits (69-56) on Benedict's second straight three-pointer with just over four minutes left. Warner Pacific would cut its deficit back to single digits at 69-60, but that would be as close as the visiting Knights would get thanks to free throw shooting down the stretch by Corban that resulted in the 14-point win (76-62).

Warner Pacific was led offensively by Christensen and Tori Carroll with 24 and 20 points, respectively, while no other Knight would score in double figures as KayLee Engen was the closest with six points. On the boards, Carroll grabbed a game-high eight rebounds to go along with a game-high eight assists by Nichole Jackson, who lead all NAIA Division II players in total assists and assists per game.

Corban will return to action on Friday, February 15th, against the Raiders of Southern Oregon beginning at 5:30 p.m. inside Bob Riehm Arena in Ashland.