BLUE RIVER, Ore. – The No. 20-ranked Corban University Women's Basketball team opened the 2026-27 campaign in dominant fashion on Tuesday night, overwhelming NCAA Division III foe Pacific University by a 93-55 final score in an exhibition contest inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) regular season and tournament champions showcased their depth, defensive pressure, and balanced offensive attack in front of their home crowd, leading for nearly the entirety of the evening while forcing 26 Pacific turnovers and nearly reaching the century mark in their season opener.
"I thought our energy and pace were both really good for our first game of the year," shared Corban head coach Kylie Frizell. "We had a lot of players, both returners and newcomers, contribute in different ways tonight, and it was encouraging to see our competitiveness on the defensive end. There are certainly areas we can continue to improve, but it's a good starting point for this new group!"
The Navy and Gold wasted little time establishing control, jumping out to a 28-16 advantage after the opening quarter before exploding for another 28 points in the second period. Corban took a commanding 56-29 lead into halftime and never looked back, outscoring the Boxers 37-26 over the final twenty minutes of play with their true freshmen taking to the court.
The Warriors' defensive intensity proved to be the game's defining factor, as they generated 15 steals and 10 blocked shots while converting Pacific's 26 turnovers into 39 points. The Dubs also controlled the glass with a 52-42 rebounding advantage and outscored the visitors 48-34 in the paint.
Redshirt junior guard Jersey Huerta picked up right where she left off a season ago, leading all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting while knocking down a trio of three-pointers and a perfect 7-for-7 night at the free throw line. She added seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists in just 28 minutes of action.
Senior guard Tayla Yost powered the Warriors on the boards with a game-high 12 rebounds, including nine offensive boards, to go along with nine points, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. Corban's backcourt received additional scoring support from junior guard Nina Peterson, who scored 11 points with three made triples, while sophomore guard Izzy McCauley added 10 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
The Warriors' depth was on full display throughout the night as ten different players found the scoring column. Transfer guards Abigail Winslow and Ava Mai each contributed nine points off the bench, while sophomore forward Lucy Nyborg added eight points and six rebounds. Finally, redshirt junior guard Lizzy Bennett chipped in six points and recorded four blocks in a strong defensive effort to represent the Salem native's return from injury last season.
Pacific was led offensively by Karina Franco, who finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Victoria Prochazka added 11 points. The Boxers shot 31.7% from the field and recorded just three assists against Corban's active defensive pressure.
The Warriors will continue preseason preparations ahead of the start of the regular season schedule, looking to build on an impressive exhibition on Saturday, October 24th when they're scheduled to host Lane Community College in a friendly scrimmage at 12pm on Tim Hills Court.
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