FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- The George Fox women's basketball team left everything on the court in their Tuesday night game against Pacific, beating the Boxers, 60-55.

How It Happened 
The Bruins started the first quarter off a little slow, allowing Pacific to have a 7-0 opening run in the first two minutes of the game. The Bruins then proceeded to go on a 10-3 run of their own over the next three minutes of the game with Alexa Borter having back-to-back layups – ultimately giving them a one point advantage over the Boxers. Pacific ended the scoring streak with two three-pointers, but Fox was quick to respond with junior Kylie Ritter having a three of her own. Pacific ended the quarter strong, leading at the end of one, 19-15.

In the beginning of the second quarter the Bruins went on a nine point run – with senior Alyssa Wells scoring five of those points. Wells nailed a three pointer and two free throws to help George Fox surpass Pacific 28-23. Fox had another 5-0 run in the last three minutes of the quarter. The half ended with a Borter layup in the waning second, punctuating a massive second quarter: Fox outscored Pacific 20-11 to lead 35-30 at the break. 

Pacific came out of the gate fighting for points to be added to the board, embarking on a four-point run in the first two minutes of the game. The Bruins countered and added two layups to the score, maintaining their lead throughout the quarter. The game stayed neck-and-neck — the Bruins never led by more than six and never tied the game — and George Fox was up, 49-44, headed into the fourth. 

The final quarter started off with each team going back and forth with scoring, though the Bruins never gave up their lead. Hanne Hopkins and Borter were the leading scorers in the remainder of the game, but it was Ritter who came up big; after battling close all game, the Boxers had finally knotted the score at 55, but the junior guard attacked the hoop strong, giving the Bruins a two-point lead. Hopkins had a total of seven points in the finals minutes of the fourth quarter, including the final three.George Fox secured the win over Pacific with a five point advantage of 60-55. 

Top Performers
One game after setting a career-high in scoring, Hanne Hopkins surpassed that mark with 19 total points, five rebounds, and four assists. Alexa Borter had 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and a career high five blocks. Alyssa Wells chipped in seven points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.

Coach's Thoughts
"Tonight was a grind, but we figured out a way to get it done," Bruin head coach Lauren Howard said, "Our conference is tough and it will be a battle every night. I'm proud of the team for pushing through."

What It Means 
The Bruins now have an overall record of 10-2 and an NWC record of 2-1. Pacific now has an overall record of 5-7 and a conference record of 1-2. 

What Comes Next
George Fox women's basketball plays their next game against Pacific Lutheran (3-8, 0-2 NWC) in Tacoma, Wash. on Saturday, January 11th. Tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.