TACOMA, Wash. -- The George Fox women's basketball team battled a tough game against the Pacific Lutheran Lutes on Saturday night, falling in a defensive battle, 44-51 loss.

How It Happened 
The first quarter of the game started out a little rocky for the Bruins as the Lutes racked up four points quickly, but Fox quickly responded. Hanne Hopkins scored a three-pointer, and less than a minute later, Alexa Borter made a layup, and the Bruins were up 5-4. Fox didn't hold onto the lead long, but always hung around; Mia Skoro locked in a couple free-throws to nearly tie the score with roughly 30 seconds left, and Fox continued to fight as Borter snuck in one last layup to gain the 14-13 lead.

The second quarter was a tough one for the Bruins as Pacific Lutheran immediately made their way ahead — Fox scored just two points in the quarter as they shot 1-13 from the field opposed to the Lutes'4-10 mark. The cold quarter meant that the Bruins would head into halftime down, 16-24.

Alyssa Wells started the third quarter out strong, as the break sparked new hopes for Fox. Borter carried on that energy with several free throws and lay-ups, one by one making their way to the top. Kylie Ritter nearly tied the score with a layup, and the game shifted to a defensive battle afterwards. As they went back and forth down the court, the Lutes went on a mini-run of their own, leaving the score at 27-32 for the last quarter.

The Bruins quickly battled back into the game, with Hopkins making a layup and Wells knockin in a triple to tie the score at 32 right off the bat. The back-breaking run of the game cameafter that triple, though, with the Lutes pulling off a 12-0 Lute run to give the Lutes a 44-32 lead. Another Wells triple and four Kylie Ritter free throws cut the lead to five, but PLU kept Fox at bay. The Bruins continued to fight, but in the end, lost a competitive game, 44-53.

Top Performers
Alexa Borter had 17 points and seven rebounds, while Hanne Hopkins had nine points, eight rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Alyssa Wells and Kylie Ritter each had eight points for the night, while Wells finished with five rebounds, and Ritter with six.

What It Means 
The Bruins now have an overall record of 10-3 and an NWC record of 2-2. The Lutes now have an overall record of 4-9 and a conference record of 1-3.

What Comes Next
The George Fox women's basketball team plays their next game on Friday January 17 at home against Whitworth team. The game is scheduled to begin at 8pm.