HOBOKEN, N.J. -- The George Fox women's basketball team stayed close in the first but never led as the Stevens University Ducks controlled GFU defensively in the final game of the Stevens Women's Basketball Holiday Tournament.

How It Happened
The Bruins struggled to find consistent offense, but in the first quarter, they forced three Stevens turnovers to keep them in the game. At the end of the period, Fox trailed by five, 20-15. 

Foul trouble and missed shots hurt GFU in the second quarter, as Stevens outscored them 17-10 in the quarter, going 8-10 from the free throw line. Fox was down by as many as thirteen, but they kept the Ducks within arm's length for large stretches to keep the game in reach.

Any comeback hopes were stalled though, when the Bruins shot 26% from the field in the third, including 1-6 from three-point range. Starter Ella Roberts struggled with fouls, and the lack of shooting production hurt Fox as Stevens pushed the lead past twenty by the end of the quarter, leading GFU 59-37.

The fourth was more of the same, with George Fox's offense stalled by the stellar defense of the Ducks, Stevens cruised to the victory in the fourth, 46-73. Though the box scores from this week's New Jersey tournament look disappointing for Fox, the experiences of playing very good teams at Scranton University and Stevens will be invaluable for the young squad going forward.

Top Performances
Claire Hinds led the Bruins in scoring with 9 points off the bench, and Alexa Borter had 8 points and 6 rebounds. Jenna Lacey had 10 rebounds and 4 assists while adding 4 points of her own.

What It Means
GFU falls to 4-7 (1-1 NWC), dropping their third game in a row. Stevens is now 10-2. 

What Comes Next
The Bruins have the rest of the week off, playing next on Jan. 6 against Puget Sound University in Northwest Conference play. The game will be in Newberg, with tip-off at 6 pm.