SALEM, Ore. – Despite holding a halftime lead, the Corban University women's basketball team faltered late in the game against NCAA Division II opponent, Western Oregon University, falling to the Wolves, 68-57.  With Capital Community Television (CCTV) broadcasting the non-conference battle in the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center, the Warriors ultimately gave up 25 second-chance points while only scoring nine themselves, resulting in the 11-point defeat.

Corban began the game cold from the field, only scoring one point through the first six minutes.  The Warriors rallied though, going on a mini-run and took its first lead of the game at 11-10 when junior guard Jade Lowery (Oregon City, Ore.) nailed a three-pointer to put Corban in front.  Fellow junior guard Julia Young (Snohomish, Wash.) added a jumper on the next possession down the floor, making it 13-12 Warriors.

Senior center Tara Van Weerdhuizen (Spokane, Wash.) then established her dominance in the paint, scoring the next four points for the Warriors and Young added a shot from distance to put Corban up 20-12.

Senior guard Haley Holboke (Vancouver, Wash.) closed out a strong first half for the Warriors after the Wolves had cut the deficit to just one, and she nailed a jumper from downtown to put Corban up 31-27.  At the half, the Warriors led 31-29 while shooting 35.3% from the field including a 5-for-6 effort from beyond the arc.  The Wolves shot 34.5% from the floor, but did go 9-for-11 from the charity stripe to keep themselves close.

Sophomore forward Sadie Pilgeram (Helena, Mont.) began the second stanza for Corban just how it had left off – with another three-pointer.  Young then tacked on a layup and the lead was at seven points, 36-29.  A couple of baskets later, Lowery converted on a fast-break opportunity and extended the lead to nine points with 16:26 left in regulation.

Western Oregon then went on a run of its own, however, and took a 44-42 lead with 12 minutes remaining.  In a defensive battle, the two sides traded baskets and free throws over the next several minutes, and with 5:31 left, the Wolves led 48-47.  After a pair of Western Oregon baskets, Van Weerdhuizen grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on the put-back to keep the deficit at just three points with 3:17 left.

From that point on though, the Wolves made their free throws and shut Corban down with a strong defensive effort, ultimately hanging on for the 11-point victory.

Watch the full game highlights here:

In addition to holding the 25-9 advantage in second-chance points, the Wolves also edged Corban in bench points, 29-14, and points in the paint, 30-22.  In addition, Western Oregon won the rebounding battle, 47-34.

For the game, Van Weerdhuizen scored a team-high 14 points while notching nine boards and racking up six blocks. Young recorded 13 points on the night, while Lowery also finished in double-figures with 10 points.

For Western Oregon, Sami Osborne registered a game-high 16 points, while Jordan Mottershaw scored 14 points.

Both teams did not experience their best shooting nights (Corban 35%, Western Oregon 35.5%), but the Wolves held the significant advantage at the free-throw line, making 21-of-26 from the stripe, while the Warriors went just 7-for-11.

Corban (3-5) returns to the hardwood on Monday, Dec 1, when it hosts Pacific University in the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.  Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.