Bearcats Defeat Corban in Women's Basketball Exhibition, 56-47

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's basketball team rallied from a 32-26 deficit with 4:09 left in the third quarter to defeat crosstown rival Corban University, 56-47, on Friday, Oct. 29 at the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. It was an exhibition game for the Bearcats. The Warriors, playing in their season opener, fell to 0-1.

Willamette will play an exhibition at the University of Portland on Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. (PDT), before opening the regular season against Multnomah University at Cone Field House on Monday, Nov. 8. Game time against Multnomah is set for 6 p.m. (PDT).

The Bearcats tied the Warriors at 32-32 on a jump shot by CarolAnn Edwards (So., F, Spokane, WA/University HS) with 26 seconds remaining in the third quarter. WU moved in front 37-34 on a 3-point basket by Claire Bonnet (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Boise HS) with 6:59 to go in the game. It was Willamette's first lead since holding a 23-22 advantage on a layup by Ava Kitchin (So., F, Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) exactly one minute into the second half.

After WU took the lead on Bonnet's 3-pointer in the final quarter, Corban scored six consecutive points to grab a 40-37 lead with 5:16 left. Willamette surged past the Warriors with a 7-0 run that began with a layup and a 3-pointer by Amanda Carpenter (Grad., G, Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS) and ended with a layup by Carolyn Ho (So., G, Parker, CO/Ponderosa HS) at the 4:01 mark.

Corban cut its deficit to 44-42 on a basket by Izzy Boring 15 seconds later, but the Bearcats scored next when Kitchin sank 1 of 2 free throws with 2:52 left. Carpenter added a layup with 2:14 remaining for a 47-42 advantage. A 3-point basket by Halle Wright pulled the Warriors within 47-45 with 2:06 to play.

Willamette remained in front and held a 52-45 edge after Bonnet connected on a pair of free throws with 1:13 left. Corban scored next on two charity shots by Boring at the 1:03 mark, but the Bearcats hit four free throws in the final 33 seconds.

The Bearcats held an 8-6 lead after the first quarter, as four players each contributed two points for Willamette. Carpenter added her first points of the game on a layup with 8:24 remaining in the half, as WU increased its lead to 10-6.

A bit later, Corban claimed an 11-10 lead on a 3-pointer by Gemma LaVergne and the Warriors took a 15-12 margin on a layup by Shaelie Burgess with 3:31 on the clock. WU moved in front 19-18 on a jumper by Bonnet with just under a minute to go in the half. Corban received a layup from Wright with four seconds left to secure a 20-19 halftime lead.

Carpenter topped Willamette's scoring chart with 17 points. She was 5 of 9 from the field, made two 3-point baskets, and went 5 for 6 at the free throw line. Carpenter also hauled down six rebounds and provided five assists.

Kitchin added nine points and nine rebounds for the Bearcats. Ho tacked on another nine points, while Bonnet tallied seven points. Edwards finished with six points and five rebounds.

Wright topped Corban with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Boring supplied nine points, six assists, and four steals. Burgess earned eight points and five boards, while Holly Golenor was credited with seven points and a game-high 12 boards.

WU ended the game with a 37-34 rebounding margin. The Bearcats registered 20 baskets and earned 14 assists, while the Warriors put through 19 baskets and had 12 assists.