The Seattle University women’s basketball team faced its toughest opponent to date, as seventh-ranked Alaska Anchorage showed why it is one of the top teams in the country with a 69-44 victory Saturday night in GNAC action at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
After Laina Sobczak (University Place, Wash.) scored Seattle’s first three points, the Seawolves scored 11 unanswered points to take a 13-3 lead. A combination of solid shooting by Alaska Anchorage and turnovers by Seattle University allowed the hosts to expand their advantage to 31-17 at halftime.
After Seattle University came within 11 at 33-22 early in the second half, Alaska Anchorage (13-1, 2-0 GNAC) went on a 13-2 run to pull away midway through the second half. The Seawolves shot 56.2 percent from the field while holding Seattle University to 37.0 percent field goal shooting. Seattle University also struggled from the free throw line, hitting only 5-of-12 attempts from the charity stripe, while Alaska Anchorage missed only one of its 11 free throw attempts.
Seattle University received 38 of its 44 points from three players, led by Kamrica Ary-Turner (Federal Way, Wash.), who scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field, including 3-of-3 from the three-point line. Sobczak finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, and Cassidy Murillo (Yakima, Wash.) added ten points.
Jennifer Salazar led Alaska Anchorage with 15 points and seven assists, while Rebecca Kielpinski earned a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Seawolves won the rebounding battle, 31-20, and converted 23 SeattleU turnovers into 26 points off those turnovers.
Seattle University (10-1, 1-1 GNAC) returns home to start a three-game homestand Thursday, Jan. 10, against Western Washington beginning at 5:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Internet through www.GoSeattleU.com.