Seattle University took the lead in the first half, with Cassidy Murillo (Yakima, Wash.) hitting a three-pointer to give the visitors a 29-17 lead with 7:33 remaining before halftime. The Nanooks came back, finishing the half by outscoring the Redhawks 13-4 to enter the locker room down by only three points at halftime.
At the start of the second half, Seattle University scored the first nine points to open a 12-point lead. Alaska Fairbanks (7-2, 0-1 GNAC) came within seven, but SeattleU put the game away with a 15-5 run late in the second half, capped off by another Murillo three-pointer with 1:48 remaining in the game.
Sobczak shot 6-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line in scoring her 18 points, and six of her ten rebounds came on the offensive end of the floor. Chelsie Morrison (Portland, Ore.) also scored 18 points, hitting four three-pointers, plus she earned six rebounds and four assists. Murillo finished with ten points and five rebounds, Jackie Thomas (Tacoma, Wash.) contributed nine points and two steals, and Quinn Brewe (Edmonds, Wash.) added eight points and nine rebounds to the winning effort.
Seattle University outrebounded Alaska Fairbanks, 57-34, including 25 offensive rebounds. The Nanooks shot only 30.8 percent from the field, while the Redhawks hit 40 percent from the field. Seattle University struggled from the free throw line, hitting only 50 percent (11-of-22) of its attempts from the charity stripe.
Seattle University (10-0, 1-0 GNAC) will face Alaska Anchorage, ranked seventh in the latest WBCA coaches poll, Saturday, Jan. 5, beginning at 7 p.m. local time. The Redhawks will start a three-game homestand next Thursday, Jan. 10, against Western Washington beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Connolly Center.