SALEM, Ore. – An instant classic in the I-5 rivalry between the Corban University Women's Basketball team and Bushnell University fell in favor of the visiting team this evening, as a contest that featured ten lead changes and seven ties came down to the final few possessions in a 53-48 victory for the Beacons.

"It was a very hard fought game tonight by both teams," Warriors' head coach Bill Pilgeram said shortly after their first loss on Tim Hills Court this season. "We were defending well and getting good shots in the second half but couldn't consistently get shots to fall. I love the character of this team and know we will bounce back even better next week on our road trip to Lewiston and Walla Walla."

The third quarter result would eventually be the difference maker in tonight's contest, as the Warriors (2-6, 1-2) and Beacons (6-3, 2-1) fought tooth and nail throughout the first half, where each team held competent leads but couldn't gain enough traction to keep the other out of sight. Corban would eventually head into the locker room with a 28-23 advantage on their home courts after flipping a one-point first quarter deficit back in their favor.

However, Bushnell erupted out of the halftime break to score seven of the first nine points, knotting this matchup at 30-all and eventually a 34-32 lead after the Navy and Gold struggled offensively in a quarter where they scored just four points. Another seven-point run to start the fourth quarter, and Corban had dug themselves too deep of a hole, but even found themselves with an opportunity to tie the game with under a minute remaining.

With 19 seconds left on the scoreboard and trailing by three, senior guard Maddie Godwin sent a desperation heave in an attempt to force the Beacons into an overtime period, but the shot came up just short and was collected by Bushnell. A handful of free throws later, and the Warriors dropped their second-consecutive conference game in another tight matchup.

Freshman guard Autumn Agnew came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points, setting a new career-high mark in only her eighth collegiate contest in a season where she's scored double-digit point totals in half of her games. She added a pair of rebounds, assists, and steals in the Warriors' efforts. Godwin added 11 points and three boards, while junior forward Madison Hodnett tallied seven points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

Beacons' star center Libby Mathis was the focal point both offensively and defensively for the visiting squad, scoring 19 points and hauling in an obscene 15 rebounds to secure the only double-double performance of the evening by either team. Guards Aly Mirabile and Aspen Slifka added 10 and nine points, respectively, while Slifka was a huge force for the Beacons' in the post and off the weakside rebound with eight boards.

Corban women's basketball will spend next weekend on the road in Idaho and Washington, beginning in Lewiston with the No. 8-ranked Lewis-Clark State College Warriors (7-1, 3-0) on Friday at 5pm PT.

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