DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Presentation's women's basketball team lost a 65-60 decision against Pacific Lutheran on Thursday in the Daytona Beach Shootout.
Presentation coach Alaina Benson said it was a game of streaks, with one team making a run, then the other.
It was close right away, then we let them go on a little run and got down by 15, said Benson. With about a minute and a half to go (in the first half), we made a run to cut the lead to ten.
The Saints trailed 33-23 at the break. Benson's team came out after intermission and used its defense to get even closer and eventually trade lead with the Lutes, who are from Tacoma, Wash.
We came out in a full-court trap and put pressure on them, and kept chipping away, Benson said. It was back and forth the entire second half, we were up by a couple and they were up by a couple.
A play toward the end of the game turned momentum in Pacific Lutheran's favor. The Lutes' center, Samantha Potter, went up for a shot, and Rachel Fuhrmann got both hands on the ball, said Benson. Potter came down with the ball, and no call was made by any official. After the players stopped for a moment, waiting for a call, Potter went back up and scored an easy basket.
That kind of changed the game, Benson said. We were down by three, had a wide open shot and missed, so we had to foul.
Potter finished with a game-high 18 points for the Lutes, and collected a dozen rebounds. Pacific Lutheran had a 57-40 advantage in rebounding, including 21 on the offensive end. Rebounding was a problem for the Saints, Benson said.
They were taller than us and had a couple of big girls, Benson said. We were able to get any shot we wanted, but did not crash the boards. Most of their points in the first half came from second shots, that's what hurt us.
Fuhrmann and Hannah Phillips notched 15 points each to pace the Saints and Benson noted a contribution by Kaylee Voorhees as well, who tallied nine points on three 3-point field goals.
She stepped it up for us, it's nice to see her shoot the ball a little more, Benson said.
The Saints (4-6) face Knox College of Galesburg, Ill., today at 11 a.m. CST.
They play a little like Grinnell (Iowa), said Benson of Knox. They rotate kids every 30 seconds and shoot a ton of threes. If we can beat their press and score every time, contest every shot and crash the boards, we'll be okay.
PACIFIC LUTHERAN (2-6): Chrissy Swope 0-6 0-0 0, Samantha Potter 9-19 0-1 18, Megan Abdo 3-13 3-6 10, Kara Sherman 6-14 3-4 16, Austin Schorno 3-10 1-2 8, Amber Stokes 1-3 1-2 3, Samantha Schubach 1-2 0-0 2, Katelyn Smith 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 27-73 8-15 65.
PRESENTATION (4-6): Rachel Fuhrmann 6-17 3-5 15, Hannah Phillips 6-20 2-4 15, Kaylee Voorhees 3-6 3-4 9, Abbie Geraci 3-12 2-2 8, Kelli Boekelheide 3-8 0-0 8, Lynn Weikel 0-1 0-0 0, Kendra Ostrom 2-4 0-2 5. Totals 23-68 7-13 60.
Halftime score - Pacific Lutheran 33-23. 3-point field goals - Pacific Lutheran 3-11 (Abdo 1-5, Sherman 1-2, Schorno 1-4); Presentation 7-20 (Phillips 1-5, Voorhees 3-4, Geraci 0-3, Boekelheide 2-7, Ostrom 1-1). Total fouls - Pacific Lutheran 12; Presentation 15. Fouled out - None. Rebounds - Pacific Lutheran 57 (Potter 12, Abdo 12, Sherman 11); Presentation 40 (Boekelheide 11). Assists - Pacific Lutheran 13 (Abdo 3, Sherman 3); Presentation 8 (Geraci 3). Blocks - Pacific Lutheran 5 (Schorno 3); Presentation 5 (Fuhrmann 4). Steals - Pacific Lutheran 10 (Sherman 3, Schorno 3); Presentation 14 (Phillips 5). Turnovers - Pacific Lutheran 19; Presentation 16. Officials - Judy Dyehouse, Lisa Cavilaro, Aaron Brooks.