Concordia Holds off PLU Rally to Win 73-68

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(PARKLAND, Wash.) - Concordia held off a late Pacific Lutheran rally to earn a 73-68 non-conference victory Saturday night in Olson Auditorium.

Concordia’s fifth-straight win improves the Cavaliers’ record to 5-3 this season. Pacific Lutheran falls to 1-1 with the loss.

The Cavaliers scored first in the contest and led by as many as nine points before PLU tied the game at 27 apiece with 3:57 remaining in the first half. The Lutes picked up their first lead of the game on Melissa Pixler’s three-pointer 1:12 before the break, going on to lead by four at halftime, 37-33.

Concordia came back to tie the game at 44-44 less than five minutes into the second period and used a 17-7 run to go up 63-53 with 9:14 left to play. Samantha Potter’s layup dropped the lead to eight, but a Courtney May jumper at 7:32 pushed it back into double-digits for the Cavaliers.

Pacific Lutheran used a 10-2 run over the following six minutes to pull within two at 67-65 with just under 90 seconds remaining. Melissa Pixler missed a jumper with 51 seconds remaining that would have tied the game, and Rachel Scarpelli made a jumper at the other end to push the lead back to four off a pass from May.

In the final 14 seconds, May (Napavine, Wash./Napavine H.S.) converted four free throw attempts to give the Cavs an eight point lead at 73-65, with Jordan Westering’s three-pointer in the final seconds earning the Lutes’ final three points to total 68.

May’s all-around effort led CU, as she posted team highs in assists (seven) and rebounds (seven) and added 13 points. Danielle Clauson (Edmonds, Wash./Kings H.S.) tallied 16 points and six rebounds, while Scarpelli (Troutdale, Ore./Reynolds H.S.) added 14 points and Megan Padilla (Sacramento, Calif./Christian Brothers H.S.) finished with 11.

Shelly Kilcup led the Lutes with 16 points, tying Clauson for the game-high total. Smantha Potter posted a double-double for the hosts, with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Concordia returns to action Nov. 23 when the Cavaliers continue their tour through the Northwest Conference with a game against George Fox at 5:30 p.m. in Cavalier Gymnasium.

Source: Concordia University