WHITTIER, Calif. --- The George Fox women's basketball team shot out to an early lead over the Whittier College Poets, but weren't able to carry momentum into the second half in a 39-55 loss on Saturday.
How It Happened
The first quarter was all Bruins. A lockdown defensive effort from the George Fox defense held the Poets to five first-quarter points. On the offensive side, the Bruins hit four three-pointers in the opening frame. Ella Roberts came off the bench on fire, hitting two treys and totalling seven points to lead her team to a 15-5 lead.
With 5:51 left in the second quarter, Alyssa Wells hit a three to give the Bruins a 13-point lead. After that bucket, George Fox was unable to score for the remainder of the quarter as the Poets battled back to within five at the end of the half.
Rachel Parks was able to slash past the Whitter defense for two buckets in the third as both teams struggled to gain control. The Poets ran their offense through Teani White, who had 10 points in the third quarter alone. A Whittier basket with 40 seconds left gave the Poets a 37-36 lead headed to the fourth.
The Bruin offense was blanked in the fourth quarter. Fox mustered three points in the period, all off of free throws. Whittier hit four threes as the Poets pulled away to earn their first win of the season and start the Bruins' California road swing on a sour note.
Top Performances
Ella Roberts led the way with nine points for the Bruins, seven of which came in the first quarter. Alyssa Wells hit two threes for Fox, and Jenna Lacey chipped in two assists. Jordan Ryan, who notched the first start of her career, had six rebounds on the day for the Bruins. To start the young season, Ryan leads the team with 31 rebounds in four games.
Coach's Thoughts
Soon to come.
What It Means
The loss drops the Bruins record back to .500 at 2-2. George Fox has yet to play a home game as they open up their season with two road trips.
Up Next
The Bruins will stay in California as they take on Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 p.m.
