EUGENE, Ore.  – The Northwest Christian University women's basketball team let a victory slip away on Tuesday night, falling to Willamette University for the first time in school history, 64-59. Despite leading for most of the contest, 19 turnovers caught up with the Beacons as the Bearcats overcame a late five-point deficit for the win.
 
Willamette (3-2) shot just 32% from the field including a 5-for-26 clip from three-point range and the Beacons out-rebounded the visitors 42-36. WU, however, held a 19-3 advantage in points off turnovers which proved to be the difference. Northwest Christian (3-2) shot 35% in the game.
 
After trading jumpers in the first two minutes of the game, NCU established the early advantage with ten straight points. After eight consecutive points off the bench from Chandler Gabrio, including a pair of three-pointers, the Beacons were ahead 15-3 with 11:20 remaining.
 
That twelve-point lead proved to be the largest of the game for the Beacons as Willamette chipped away until they claimed their first lead of the game, 21-20 with 1:32 remaining in the half on a Jojo DeLong three-pointer. NCU quickly answered back and a third trey by Gabrio with 30 seconds to play gave the Beacons a 25-22 lead at the intermission.
 
The second half was a dogfight from start to finish as the teams traded the lead nine times and were tied on nine other occasions. A pair of free-throws from MeShel Rad gave the Beacons a 56-51 lead with 4:01 remaining. The Bearcats answered with seven straight points, taking the lead on a three-pointer from Kylie Towry with 1:47 to play. It was the first field goal of the game for WU's leading scorer and it came at the most opportune time.
 
NCU answered immediately as Sami Pitts (pictured) drove the lane for the layup, foul, and free throw for the three-point-play, putting the Beacons back on top, 59-58 with 1:32 left. DeLong hit a pair of free throws on the next Bearcat possession and after an NCU turnover, additional free throws sealed the win for Willamette.
 
The Beacons were led by Pitts, scoring a team-high 16 points including 14 after the break as the junior guard did everything in her power to keep the Beacons close. Gabrio finished with 14 points and Demarea Caples scored nine. Caples, Rad, and Andrea Gloss each had six rebounds to lead the team. Breanna Schmidt had three steals to lead all players.
 
Willamette was led by DeLong, finishing with 18 points and five assists. Katie Kalugin overcame a six-turnover night to register a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Whitney Anderson scored nine points off the bench although the Bearcat reserves were outscored by the NCU bench, 27-14.
 
Northwest Christian will return to action on Saturday night, playing host to Walla Walla University (0-9). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Morse Event Center.