NEWBERG, Ore. -- Despite a late offensive push, the George Fox women's basketball team fell short against their second Division II opponent of the season in Seattle Pacific, dropping the game, 64-44.

How It Happened
The Bruins struggled to establish an offensive rhythm in the initial stages of the game, resulting in a low-scoring first quarter. The majority of the period was a battle of two strong defenses, with Erin Yoshitake being the lone Bruin to find the net more than once. Despite the challenges, Fox managed to stay competitive, entering the second quarter trailing by 10 points, 17-7.

The second quarter continued the game's scarcity of offensive plays, with the Falcons outsourcing the Bruins 8-5 in the period. Both teams grappled with frequent turnovers, though Alyssa Wells managed to make a pivotal three-pointer to narrow the Bruins' deficit as they headed into halftime, 25-12.

Following the halftime break, both teams displayed an offensive uptick, entering the third quarter with a heightened attacking energy. Fox began to surge, putting up 10 points in just four minutes with contributions from Yoshitake, Ella Roberts, and Marissa Bartels. Notably, the Bruins saw an improvement in their field goal percentage, shooting at 54% for the period. However, the Falcons eventually began to distance themselves again towards the end of the quarter, taking a commanding lead as they headed into the final period, 45-26. 

Despite the deficit, the Bruins showed tremendous grit in the fourth quarter, going on a seven point run midway through the period. Fox also matched the Falcons offensively, putting up 18 points and converting all six attempts from the free throw line. Despite the Bruins' offensive efforts, they were unable to close the gap, losing the game, 64-44.   

Top Performers
Erin Yoshitake led the way for the Bruins offensively, dropping 13 points on 5-12 shooting from the field. Ella Roberts also finished with a double digit performance, putting up 10 points in the second half alone, while Marissa Bartels and Alyssa Wells ended the game with eight points each. On defense, Wells also led the team with two blocks, while Bartels had two steals on the day.

What It Means
The Bruins move to 1-5 overall and remain 1-1 in conference play. Seattle Pacific improves to 4-5.

What's Next
The Bruins will have a week off before they travel to Abilene, Texas for a matchup against Hardin Simmons University. The game is slated for 2 p.m.