SALEM, Ore. – With seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Corban University Women's Basketball team had found themselves down just two possessions to the No. 25-ranked Oregon Tech Owls, who managed to escape the state capital with a 74-62 road win after hitting multiple clutch field goals and a handful of free throws down the stretch.

"The team did a great job of battling the entire game and putting themselves in a chance to win against a very good team," Corban head coach Bill Pilgeram shared. "It seemed like every time we needed one more play, something went OIT's way. Points off turnovers and three-point shooting were two keys that hurt us in the first half, but we were able to clean up in the second. We are looking forward to our final home game tomorrow and honoring our amazing group of seniors."

The nationally ranked Owls (22-3, 16-3) had appeared to be in complete control and en route to their third-straight win with ease earlier this evening, scoring nine of the first eleven points before the Warriors (8-17, 7-12) came roaring back to cut the deficit back to five points entering the second quarter of play.

Oregon Tech eventually stretched their lead into double digits entering halftime, despite their leading scorer and third-ranked scorer in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, guard Olivia Sprague, being held to just three points through twenty minutes of play. Seven other Owls had scored at least one point by the break to help provide some support for the OIT offense, compared to just six scorers the Warriors.

Corban managed to keep the deficit at ten through three quarters of play, but a three-pointer by redshirt sophomore guard Tori Younker on the final Warrior possession to end the period gave the Navy and Gold momentum heading into what would be a wild back-and-forth final quarter of play.

Back-to-back buckets from beyond the arc by senior guard Maddie Godwin and Younker saw the Warriors trailing by just four points at 55-51 with 7:07 remaining on the clock, needing to find some more defensive stops if they were to flip the scoreboard on the Owls. However, much to the pleasure of the OIT clan in attendance this evening who made the trip up the I-5 interstate from southern Oregon, every time Corban was able to earn a stop and hit a key field goal, Oregon Tech was able to answer on each occasion to prevent Corban from ever taking a lead or tying the game in their eventual 12-point victory.

Godwin scored a team-high 16 points with five rebounds and four assists along the way, while freshman guard Autumn Agnew was the only other Warrior in double-figures with ten points. Younker and senior guard Kirsten Koehnke each scored nine points and hauled in seven and six rebounds, respectively.

Sprague rallied exceptionally in the second half to finish as the game's leading scorer, dropping 19 points on 50% from the field with three boards as well. Guards Tatum Schmerbach and Gabbie Gascon followed Sprague with 18 and 13 points, with Schmerbach falling just one rebound shy of a double-double at nine in 28 minutes of play.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Warriors will play their last home game of the 2023-24 season on Tim Hills Court, with a 3pm tip off scheduled against No. 22-ranked Southern Oregon University. The team's five seniors will be honored at 2:45pm with pregame announcements beginning shortly after.

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