CLAREMONT, Calif. -- The George Fox women's basketball team were unable to push past tough SCIAC opponent Pomona Pitzer in a road matchup, recording their first loss of the season, 57-71.

How It Happened
The game opened in a tight contest for possession, with neither team going more than five points ahead in the first period. Pomona Pitzer jumped out to an early lead, before a layup and three pointer from Tara Ushiro leveled the scores for the Bruins. Alyssa Wells and Isabella Arrisgado nailed back-to-back shots to put Fox ahead late in the period, before the two teams traded buckets back and forth into the final seconds of the quarter. Headed into the break the Bruins were one point behind, 15-16. 

George Fox came out firing to open the second quarter, going on a four point run in the opening two minutes. Wells put the first points on the board with a jump shot, before Ushiro converted both free throw shots to give the Bruins a three point lead. Mia Skoro nailed her first three pointer of the game a minute later, but the Sagehens were able to match it with one of their own — marking the beginning of an 11 point run that put them eight points ahead. Skoro and Wells were able to put four more points on the board to keep the Bruins in the game, but they headed into halftime behind, 28-34.

The Bruins opened the scoring again for the second half, this time with a deep shot from Kylie Ritter that narrowed the gap to three. Two more made layups from Usiro and Hanne Hopkins put Fox ahead, though their lead was short lived. Both sides had plenty of offensive momentum for the remainder of the period, rustling back and forth with possession and scores. The game was tied up three separate times in the last three minutes, and the game was deadlocked into the final quarter, 46-46.

The final quarter began with a four point run for the Sagehens, before Arrisgado regained momentum for Box with a three point bucket. The Sagehens retaliated immediately, however, with another six point run that put Fox down midway through the period. The rest of the game was characterized by free throws, making it hard for Fox to close the gap, and they eventually dropped the game, 57-71.

Top Performers
Alyssa Wells was the leader for Fox yet again, making 6-15 from the floor on her way to a 15 point game. Hanne Hopkins also put up a double digit performance, ending the day with 10 points and seven rebounds. Alexa Borter led the team with three assists.

What It Means
The Bruins record their first loss of the year, moving to 4-1 on the season. Pomona Pitzer improves to 3-2 (1-0 SCIAC) on the year.

What Happens Next
The Bruins will return to the court for a matchup against Hardin Simmons on Tuesday, November 26th, at Wheeler Sports Center. The game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.