KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – For the first time in nearly five years and first occasion in southern Oregon since the 2019-20 season, the No. 18-ranked Corban University Women's Basketball team walked onto Danny Miles Court and dealt out a double-digit 80-64 loss to No. 20-ranked Oregon Tech to snap their own nine-game losing skid to the Lady Owls while handing OIT their first Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) loss of the year.
"I'm so proud of the overall defensive effort, specifically executing the gameplan we designed for this matchup," Warriors' head coach Kylie Frizell explained shortly after their nationally ranked victory. "The team has done a great job of accepting the challenge I presented them at the beginning of the weekend in stepping up defensively and focusing on getting their own stops to transition into offensive opportunities. Tatum is a great player for OIT and being able to hold her to 5-for-17 shooting and force her into seven turnovers was huge for us. It's been so rewarding to see this vision come to fruition behind the leadership of our upperclassmen, and we're looking forward to celebrating Christmas with our families before gearing back up for the majority of our conference season."
After shooting a season-low last night in Ashland, the Warriors (10-2, 3-1) picked up their tenth win on the year behind a much better offensive showing that featured a nearly 44% field goal percentage and 12 three-pointers, over six times more than their Lady Owl (7-5, 3-1) foes that attempted only seven triples the entire contest. Instead, Tech utilized a post-focused mindset where they scored over half of their points in the paint (36) while settling for midrange jumpers and shooting nearly ten more free throws than the Navy and Gold in a foul heavy game.
OIT led for a majority of the opening half and led 40-33 entering the halftime break, yet a fervent comeback bid led by redshirt junior guard Jenna Albrecht immediately into the third quarter where she drained back-to-back three-pointers eventually resulted in eight ties and 13 lead changes throughout a competitive second half. Now trailing by three to begin the final quarter, the Warriors' offense kicked into a second gear with an 53% field goal percentage (8-for-15) in the fourth period alone while holding Tech to under 20% from the floor and without a longball the entirety of the second half (0-for-3).
A pair of upperclassmen guards in Albrecht (22 points, five steals) and redshirt senior Tori Younker (20 points, four rebounds) powered the Warriors' offense to the huge road victory, with the duo combining for 42 of the team's 80 total points with eight three-pointers, five of which came off the hands of Younker. Redshirt sophomore guard Jersey Huerta added 17 points with six rebounds and four assists, while graduate student center Emilia Bishop pitching in 11 points and eight rebounds alongside her first three-pointer of the season.
Lady Owls' All-Conference guard Tatum Schmerbach registered a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double effort, yet was held to just five field goals and committed seven turnovers against the Corban defensive presence in a complete 40 minutes played. Forward Jozie Ramos secured her own double-double with 17 points and ten boards, while constant scoring threat guard Olivia Sprague was limited to 12 points and five rebounds before fouling out in the second half.
The Warriors earn their well-deserved Christmas Break and will return to the hardwood on Friday, January 2nd when they kick off a four-game homestand, beginning with the Eagles of Northwest University (4-8, 0-4) for a 5:30pm tipoff.
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