In a game with nine ties and 11 lead changes, Laina Sobczak (University Place, Wash.) scored on a breakaway off a pass from Alysse Carlson (Ashland, Ore.) with 41 seconds remaining, and Carlson made two free throws with 23 seconds left to give the Seattle University women’s basketball team a 54-51 victory over Central Washington Saturday evening at the Connolly Center.
Seattle University took its biggest lead of the game at 21-15 with 6:31 remaining in the first half, but Central Washington outscored the home team 15-8, capped by a long three-pointer by Hanna Hull as time ran out in the first half, to take a 30-28 lead at halftime. The Wildcats extended their lead to four at the beginning of the second half, but that would prove to be the biggest lead for either team after halftime.
Down 48-45 with 5:45 left in regulation, scored the next five points on two free throws by Jackie Thomas (Tacoma, Wash.) and three points by Tatiana Heck (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.), who played a crucial three minutes defending Central post player Shaina Afoa when the other players needed a break from battling with the 6-1 sophomore all game. The Wildcats retook the lead on a jumper by Jenn Jacobs with 1:10 remaining, and Central seemed in control when Ashley Fenimore drew a charge on Thomas, the senior’s fifth foul of the game.
In the final minute, Kristina Klapperich missed a jumper and Kamrica Ary-Turner (Federal Way, Wash.) pulled down the rebound and handed it to Carlson, Thomas’s replacement. Thomas found Sobczak streaking down the right side and launched a perfect pass that Sobczak took to the basket for a layup, giving SeattleU a 52-51 lead.
Fenimore tried her own driving layup, but Carlson blocked the shot out of bounds. Fenimore then missed on a jumper and fouled Carlson during the rebound. After Carlson made her free throws, ’s defense forced to take a contested three-pointer, which fell to the floor as the final buzzer sounded.
Thomas shot 4-of-8 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free throw line in scoring 14 points, plus she earned four steals during the game. Quinn Brewe (Edmonds, Wash.) earned ten points and seven rebounds, while Ary-Turner contributed eight points and Sobczak finished with six points, six rebounds, and two steals. For the game, SeattleU shot 33.3 percent from the field (17-of-51) and 85.0 percent from the free throw line (17-of-20).
Klapperich led (9-2, 1-2 GNAC) with 14 points and four steals, plus she pulled down nine rebounds. scored 12 points, Fenimore earned eight points, and Afoa contributed seven points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Wildcats shot 31.4 percent from the field and committed 24 turnovers, but they did win the rebounding battle, 40-34.
Seattle University (12-1, 3-1 GNAC) finishes its three-game homestand next Saturday, Jan. 19, facing Montana State Billings at the Connolly Center beginning at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets are also 3-1 in conference play, completing a weekend sweep with a 69-67 victory over Saturday night.