“This was a game in which we learned a lot about ourselves,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “I’m pleased that we won; I really like our effort. I like the way our toughness came out. We still have a lot to work on, but good teams find ways to win.”
Simon Fraser got on the board first, as Kristina Collins drove in for a layup. Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) immediately tied it up, as the score remained 2-2 through the first nearly two and a half minutes.
The score was again tied, 4-4, on Daidra Brown (Seattle, Wash.) free-throws at 17:39 and a layup by Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe at 16:51.
Seattle U then took the lead, 16-11, going on a 12-7 run over the next 10 minutes, including over seven scoreless minutes by Simon Fraser.
The Clan came back to tie the game, 16-16, at the 5:17 mark on a layup by Katie Lowen, and took the lead, 18-16 on another layup by Carla Wyman.
Simon Fraser increased their lead to as much as nine two different times for the remainder of the first half, leading 27-18 on a three-pointer by Lowen at the 2:40 mark and 29-20 on a jumper by Marie Line-Petit at the 2:02 mark.
SFU led SU, 31-26, at the halftime buzzer. Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) led the Redhawks with nine points in the first half, followed by Sowell with eight.
The Redhawks came out of the halftime break with offensive power, outscoring the Clan 8-4 to come within one point, 35-34, at the 16:58 mark following two straight layups by Sowell.
At the 14:04 mark, Shephard hit a three-point jumper to tie the game, 43-43.
Over the next four minutes, the Clan went on a 14-6 run to take the 57-49 lead, thanks in part to four three-pointers.
Seattle U never gave up, continuing to power back, going on a 17-10 streak to come within one, 67-66, and tie the game on two free-throws by Shephard.
The Redhawks retook the lead and kept it for the remainder of the contest, topping Simon Fraser, 72-69 in the first exhibition game of the season.
Overall, Seattle U shot 19-for-24 (79.2 percent) from the free-throw line. The Clan shot 54 percent (27-for-50) from the field, compared to SU’s 34.2 percent (25-for-73) from the field, as well as 50 percent (13-for-26) from behind the three-point line, compared to 23.1 percent (3-for-13) for the Redhawks. Seattle U also forced 34 turnovers and made 27 steals over the contest.
Shephard led the Redhawks with 26 points, also recording eight rebounds. She shot 10-for-19 from the field. Sowell and Ashley Ward also scored in double figures, with 19 and 13 points, respectively. Sowell led the team with nine total rebounds.
Raincock-Ekunwe led SFU with 14 points and 13 rebounds, and four other members of the team scored in double figures.
Seattle U hosts Western Washington University for their final exhibition contest on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. at the Connolly Center. They open the regular season hosting Pacific at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9.