KIRKLAND – Northwest overcame a rugged third quarter and will head into the postseason on a winning note after a 69-59 win over Corban Saturday afternoon.
 
The teams played just about evenly in the first quarter, and the Eagles were dominant in the second quarter to take a 39-25 lead at halftime.
 
Northwest had a six-point lead with 4:20 left in the first half before exploding for a 12-4 run to close the half. Grace Meza and Maya DuChesne had five points each in that spree, and Meza had 10 of her 16 points in the first half.
 
Corban erased almost all of that halftime lead in the third quarter, getting 10 points at the free-throw line. 
 
The Warriors grabbed the lead with 8:55 remaining in the game, but the Eagles responded with the next 14 points to take a 62-50 lead with 2:40 remaining. Meza had six points, and Sam VanLoo added four in that streak.
 
"We put them at the free-throw line way too much in the third quarter, but give credit to Corban. They were playing for the love of the game, and they worked hard," said NU Head Coach Ken Crawford. "I'm proud of the way we played and improved. That's a sign of a team getting better and maturing."
 
Meza led the Eagles with 16 points, followed by VanLoo with 14, DuChesne with 13, and Livi Lindsey with 10. VanLoo had 10 rebounds for her sixth consecutive double-double. Shelaine Lorenz led with five assists, and Lindsey had five steals.
 
Corban got 29 points from Gemma LaVergne. 
 
NU bid adieu to its senior class of Lindsey, Meza, Caitlin Monten, Lorenz, Ellesse FitzGerald, Caitlyn Phillips, VanLoo, and Andie Kristinat after their last home game.
 
Northwest will be the seventh seed and will play its first-round game in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament at Southern Oregon at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.