Colleges: CWU women knock off SPU

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Sparked by a 3-point barrage from Sophie Russell and Jessica VanDyke, Central Washington’s women upset Seattle Pacific 80-75 in a GNAC women’s basketball game Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Falcons.

Russell and VanDyke were both 5 of 11 from 3-point range en route to team-best totals of 19 and 18 points, respectively, as Central (7-14, 4-10) beat Seattle Pacific (15-8, 9-6) for just the second time in the past 21 meetings.

Russell and VanDyke were part of a balanced attack that also had Alex Dunn (16 points) and Stacy Albrecht (12) reach double figures.

“We really came together as a team,” said first-year Central coach Shawn Nelson, who enjoyed the best victory in his young Wildcat tenure. “Everybody wearing a Wildcat uniform tonight contributed, especially during the final five minutes when we could have packed it in.

“We stepped it up and took it to a level where we should be able to be at on a consistent basis.”

Central overcame a 13-point first-half deficit, and played with poise late in the game. The Wildcats never trailed in the final 5 minutes, although the game was tied twice in that span, and they opened a seven-point lead three times, including twice in the final minute.

Katie Benson led Seattle Pacific with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

SEATTLE PACIFIC — Benson 9-14 4-5 22, Murray 7-8 0-0 14, Sims 5-12 2-2 12, Kingma 2-8 4-5 9, Gorman 3-6 3-4 9, Harazin 3-8 0-0 7, Ohlsen 1-5 0-0 2, Butler 0-1 0-0 0, Reimer 0-1 0-0 0, Callen 0-5 0-0 0, Teng 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 13-16 75.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON — Russell 6-16 2-4 19, VanDyke 6-13 1-2 18, Dunn 5-14 6-7 16, Albrecht 5-9 2-4 12, Johnson 2-4 2-2 7, Valdez 2-3 1-2 6, Moser 1-3 0-1 2, Fettig 0-0 0-0 0, Burke 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 27-65 14-22 80.

Halftime—SPU 38, CWU 37. 3-Point goals—SPU 2-20 (Harazin 1-4, Kingma 1-5, Sims 0-3, Gorman 0-2, Ohlsen 0-1, Callen 0-4, Benson 0-1), CWU 12-30 (VanDyke 5-11, Russell 5-11, Valdez 1-2, Johnson 1-1, Burke 0-3, Dunn 0-2). Fouled out—None. Rebounds—SPU 37 (Benson 10), CWU 42 (Dunn 8). Assists—SPU 16 (Gorman 5), CWU 16 (Dunn 6). Total fouls—SPU 19, CWU 17.

Yaks host CBC today

Yakima, Wash. — Yakima Valley will host Columbia Basin for a women’s and men’s basketball doubleheader today.

The women are scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. in Sherar Gym with the men to follow at 4.

The Yaks and Hawks are battling for the East Region women’s lead, with NWAACC No. 1-ranked CBC coming in at 8-1 in the region and 20-2 overall. Fourth-ranked YVCC, 7-2 and 17-5, dealt CBC its lone region loss in Pasco earlier this season.

Yakima Valley’s men (6-3, 13-8) are attempting to secure at least the region’s fourth spot for a final NWAACC Tournament berth. CBC is fifth at 3-6 and 7-13.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Central falls at Seattle Pacific

SEATTLE — Shooting only 36 percent from the field, including 3 of 16 from 3-point range, Central Washington dropped a 72-64 decision to Seattle Pacific in GNAC action Saturday night in Royal Brougham Pavilion.

The defeat left CWU 5-9 in the conference and 11-11 overall. The Wildcats are tied for sixth in the GNAC with four games remaining.

The top six teams advance to the GNAC tournament.

Point guard Lacy Haddock scored 18 points for the Wildcats, Jody Johnson had 15 and Roby Clyde 13, but Central was unable to match the 1-2 SPU punch of David Downs and Andy Poling.

Downs led the Falcons (11-4, 19-5) with 23 points while Poling had 20. They were a combined 18 for 21 from the foul line as SPU shot a collective 27 for 40 from the stripe compared with CWU’s 15 for 21.

Central hosts Simon Fraser on Thursday night and conference-leading Western Washington on Saturday night.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON — Jody Johnson 5-10 4-4 15, Tyler 1-9 0-0 2, Roby Clyde 5-11 3-4 13, Lacy Haddock 8-19 1-1 18, Coby 1-4 0-0 3, Gross 0-0 0-0 0, Starr 1-1 0-0 2, Lieser 0-1 0-0 0, Magee 1-5 6-9 8, Davis 1-3 0-0 2, Nelson 0-1 1-3 1. Totals 23-64 15-21 64.

SEATTLE PACIFIC — Wall 1-7 4-4 7, Hutsen 2-6 2-8 6, Andy Poling 6-10 8-11 20, David Downs 5-10 10-10 23, Stockton 2-4 1-3 5, Carel 0-0 0-1 0, Dorman 1-4 0-0 2, Anderson 1-2 0-0 3, Morse 0-2 0-0 0, Niang 2-3 2-3 6. Totals 20-48 27-40 72.

Halftime — SPU 38-31. 3-point goals — CWU 3-16 (Johnson 1-1, Tyler 0-4, Clyde 0-1, Haddock 1-4, Coby 1-3, Magee 0-3); SPU 5-16 (Wall 1-5, Downs 3-4, Stockton 0-1, Dorman 0-2, Anderson 1-2, Morse 0-2). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — CWU 35 (Johnson 7); SPU 47 (Poling 10). Assists — CWU 6 (Tyler 2, Haddock 2); SPU 10 (Wall 4). Turnovers — CWU 11, SPU 16. Total fouls — CWU 29, SPU 19.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

CWU wins first game of season

SEASIDE, Calif. — Brothers Brett and Kasey Bielec were both 3 for 5 in the opening game of a doubleheader, with each collecting an RBI single in a four-run ninth that helped Central Washington beat California State Monterey Bay 8-7 in a college baseball game Saturday.

Cal State Monterey Bay came back to earn the split with a 6-1 victory in game two.

In the opener, starter Davis Engel, an Ellensburg High graduate, threw six innings, allowing four runs. Central (1-4) broke a 4-4 tie with that four-run ninth.

Game 1

Central 101 010 104 — 8 13 1
Cal St. Mont. Bay 010 000 303 — 7 14 1

Engel, Jones (7), Davidson (7), Bushman (9) and Sani; Owen, Crose (4), Holland (8), Grotz (9) and White, Olson (6). W—Davidson (1-0). L—Holland (0-1).

HITS—CWU, Brett Bielec 3-5 (2b), Kasey Bielec 3-5, Kyle Sani 2-5, Derrick Webb 2-5, Brady Kincannon 1-3, Ethan Sterkel 1-5, Chris Hashimoto 1-5 (2b). CSUMB, David Garcia 3-4, Matt Urakami 2-3, James Merjano 2-4, Tommy George 2-5, Jared DeCastro 2-5, Jeff Phillips 1-1, Danny Nelson 1-4, Brian Haggett 1-4.

RBI—CWU, K. Bielec 2, Hashimoto 2, B. Bielec, Sterkel, Webb. CSUMB, George 2, Phillips 2, Merjano, George, DeCastro.

Game 2

Central 000 010 0 — 1 8 0
Cal St. Mont. Bay 003 012 x — 6 6 0

Cruzen, Jones (5), Davidson (6) and Leid, Swartz (6); Medlinger, Noack (6), Thiel (7) and Valletta. W—Medlinger (2-0). L—Cruzen (0-1). HR—CWU, Jimmy Reyerson (1).

HITS—CWU, Glen Reser 2-3 (2b), Derrick Webb 2-3, David Leid 1-2, Kasey Bielec 1-3, Jimmy Ryerson 1-4, Ethan Sterkel 1-4. CSUMB, James Merjano 2-4, Garrett Gemgnani 1-1, Brian Haggett 1-2, Jared DeCastro 1-2, Danny Nelson 1-3.

RBI—CWU, Ryerson. CSUMB, Merjano 2, Nelson, Haggett, Gemgnani.