Kirkland, WA - The Northwest women's defense stifles Walla Walla for their first conference win of the season, 71-50.
The Eagles desperately needed a turnaround after the big fall against the Warriors, and they delivered with a big change of pace in points and steals. The Eagles' first quarter was their best, outscoring the Wolves 25-10, shooting for 12-18, and nabbing six steals. The Eagles were able to grab these steals in their offensive zone and midcourt, which gave them the edge for the whole game.
The second quarter was far closer, with the Eagles eking out the edge, 18-15. The Wolves reformed, limited their turnovers, and took advantage of the Eagles' fouls, drilling seven of their ten free throws. The Eagles were able to keep the distance, shooting 6-15 and 2-7 in their three-pointers.
The third quarter belonged to the Wolves, outscoring the Eagles, 18-13. The Wolves played a clean quarter, eliminating the Eagles' chances on the free throw line. However, the shots were near, even with the Eagles shooting 5-14 and the Wolves 5-15. The Eagles, though, did better beyond the three-point line, nailing three of their five shots.
The final quarter saw the Eagles get back in the driver seat defensively. The Eagles' defense halted the Wolves to only seven points in the quarter while tacking on 15 to their scoreline. The Eagles finished the game shooting 29-64, 6-19 in threes, and 7-11 on the free throw line.
Kaleah Medeiros led the team in points with 20, Kimberly Carrada Sanchez followed behind with 18, and Saydee Anderson nabbed 15 points on the night and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Walla Walla's Chariah Daniels also recorded a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
"We decided to up the tempo from the beginning and make them uncomfortable," said Head Coach Randall Edens. "It got us off to a good start and led to some good energy, especially after a tough day the day before. We knew Walla Walla was going to make a run, and we got back on our heels a bit in the third. But the resolve, staying opportunistic, and executing when needed ended up being the difference down the stretch. Saydee's double double was big for her, and Kaleah Medeiros had a great night showcasing her versatile skill set. We were also excited to see Kamille give us great productive minutes that lifted us there some in the second quarter especially."
