by Jared Beilby, Student Intern

TACOMA, Wash. – Senior Megan Arnoldy and junior Jami Roos combined to score the game's final 11 points as the nationally-ranked George Fox University Bruins defeated the University of Puget Sound Loggers 74-61 in Northwest Conference women's basketball play here at the Memorial Fieldhouse on Friday night.

Arnoldy finished with 15 points and Roos added 10 as the Bruins (21-3, 12-3 NWC), ranked 13th in the D3hoops.com poll and 14th in the WBCA poll, staved off the Loggers (15-9, 8-7 NWC). With the win and Lewis & Clark College's home 82-78 upset over Whitworth University (18-7, 12-4 NWC), the Bruins sit second in conference, half a game ahead of Whitworth, and can clinch second outright with a win Saturday at home over Willamette University (5-20, 3-13 NWC).  George Fox has already secured a Northwest Conference Tournament home game vs. Whitworth for next Thursday by virtue of having a better conference road record (6-2) than Whitworth (5-3).

Senior Hayley Cusick started the game off strong with a pair of early three-pointers, guiding the Bruins to an 11-2 lead four minutes in. Puget Sound rallied, though, and George Fox held a slim 27-24 edge with three minutes remaining in the half.  However, six Bruins hit shots during a 13-1 run that closed out the period, giving George Fox a 41-25 advantage at the break.

The George Fox lead climbed to 18 early in the second half before the Loggers managed to chip away at the margin, eventually tying the game at 49 with 10:22 left. The Loggers stuck around until Roos sank a trifecta to make the score 63-58 with six minutes to play. After Puget Sound sophomore Emily Shelton responded with a three of her own, Roos and Arnoldy combined for 11 points in the final 3:24 while knocking down seven straight free throws.

Arnoldy and Roos were joined in double figures by sophomore Justine Benner with 12 points and junior Lauren Codling with 10. Sophomore Jordyn Peacock picked up nine rebounds for the second straight game. The Bruins jointly shot 26-57 (45.6%) and won the turnover battle 22-13.

Amanda Forshay scored 27 points to lead the Loggers, who shot 26-66 (39.4%) as a team.

NEXT: George Fox comes back to Newberg Saturday to face Willamette at 6 p.m. The men play afterwards at 8 p.m. … The Bruins will honor their four graduating seniors - Arnoldy, Cusick, McKenzie Wolfe, and Kylee Parker - in pre-game ceremonies … Puget Sound stays home Saturday to host Pacific University (Ore.) at 6 p.m. The men's game follows at 8 p.m.