"I think Tatiana has shown a great deal of improvement," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "She is a hard worker and very coachable. This was a career-high night for her. Her confidence and that of every other member of our team is boosted and we showed that we have a solid inside game."
It was all-Heck all night for the Redhawks. She boxed the Geoduck players out with easy and maneuvered in smoothly to the basket to go 50 percent from the field and 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. She added six boards, two assists, a steal and a block in a team-leading 32 minutes on the floor. The Seattle center was key in bringing down and assisting in SU's offensive second efforts to keep possession.
SeattleU shot 50 percent on the evening from the field and held the Evergreen State to 29.3 percent. Senior Ashley Brown (Kirkland, Wash.) was very consistent from the field, as she scored 19 points. The forward was 5-for-9 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She was also 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, to bring her season total to a team-leading 42 3-point jumpers.
Suited up for her second game of the season, Elle Kerfoot (Surrey, B.C.) looked to find comfort and rhythm on the floor. In 25 minutes, she scored a third-best 15 points, as she went 5-for-7 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point line. She also tallied two assists and a defensive rebound.
The sophomore guard worked cohesively with veteran guard Cassidy Murillo (Yakima, Wash.) to orchestrate the SeattleU offense. Murillo shot 50 percent from both the field and beyond the 3-point line, scored nine points and led the team with seven assists. This season the Redhawk captain is averaging 5.1 assists per game.
Sophomore Maggie McCarthy (Burlingame, Calif.) was scrappy and all over the floor. She caused three Evergreen State turnovers and led the Redhawks with eight boards. She scored seven points and also tallied an assist in 23 minutes on the floor.
Off the bench, Bianca Williams (South Torrance, Calif.) knocked in a 3-point jumper for her first points of her sophomore campaign with 50 seconds left in regulation. Redshirt Freshman Monica Nevi (Renton, Wash.) had an assist in nine minutes on the court and classmate Jamie Johnson (Chicago, Ill.) had an assist and a steal in 10 minutes of action.
Earning her 13th straight starting nod was transfer Kourtney Parks (Bend, Ore.). In 15 minutes she knocked in a three, had two assists and an offensive rebound. Subs Julee Christianson (Missoula, Mont.) and Samantha Messersmith (Harold, Calif.) combined for 26 minutes of play, five rebounds, two points and two assists.
"I am happy for the team," said Bonvicini of the victory. "We need this bad after having some close games. We are really getting things going. Winning is really based on confidence and is a mentality - so we are getting there."
After going 1-2 in their last home stand, the Redhawks hit the road for a four-game road swing. Prior to Christmas, they will travel to Oregon State on Friday, Dec. 17, for a 7 p.m. PT game in Corvallis. Three days later the team will hit the floor in Boise, Idaho for a 5 p.m. PT contest against the Broncos of Boise State. Following the holiday, SU will reunite in California for a pair of games, beginning with Cal Poly on Tuesday, Dec. 29. They will close out 2009 with Loyola Marymount on Wednesday, Dec. 30, before returning to the Emerald City.