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Feb. 16, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

UPDATE: Completing a grueling stretch of three road games in Alaska and Montana, the Western Washington University women's basketball team visits Montana State University Billings on Wednesday (7 p.m. MT) before opening its final home stand Saturday (2 p.m.) against Western Oregon on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium. Both contests are Great Northwest Athletic Conference counters.

The Vikings, No.4 in last week's NCAA Division II West Region rating, are 15-6 overall and third in the GNAC standings at 7-3 (behind Alaska Anchorage 11-0 and Seattle Pacific 9-2) following a split of two road games in Alaska. That began with a 70-67 loss to nationally No.1-ranked Alaska Anchorage and ended with an 81-48 win over outmanned Alaska Fairbanks.

Western, which is 9-1 at home this season, has won six of its last seven games. The biggest win during that stretch was an 84-44 thrashing of then nationally No.14-ranked Seattle Pacific on Jan. 29.

The Vikings are led by sophomore guard Amanda Dunbar and senior forward Jessica Summers, who are averaging 12.7 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. Dunbar also leads the team in assists (3.1 avg.) and Summers tops the squad in rebounds (8.2).

Dunbar, who was the GNAC Freshman of the Year, ranks fifth among GNAC leaders in scoring and seventh in assists. Summers, a transfer from NCAA I Idaho, is fifth in the league in rebounding and 10th in scoring.

Senior center Claire Pallansch needs just nine points to reach 1,000 during her four-year career. She is averaging 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds, scoring in double figures in eight of Western's last nine games.

Junior forward Willow Cabe has averaged 13.3 points on 47.3 percent (26-of-55) floor accuracy and 7.3 rebounds over the last six games, scoring double figures in all of them. Overall, she is averaging 9.4 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Completing the starting lineup is sophomore point guard Megan Pinske (4.6 ppg), who missed the first part of the season recovering from summer knee surgery.

Western has gotten strong play off the bench from sophomore guard Marelle Moehrle, senior forward Liz McCarrell, junior forward Gabby Wade and senior point guard India Soo.

Moehrle, who led the Vikings with 15 points on five 3-pointers at Alaska Fairbanks, is averaging 7.2 points, hitting 44.8 percent (43-of-96) from 3-point range. She ranks second in the GNAC in 3-point makes (2.1) and fifth in accuracy from beyond the arc.

McCarrell is scoring at a 7.0 per game clip.

Wade, who had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds against Alaska Fairbanks, her second of the season, is averaging 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 rebounds.

Soo is averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 assists and a team-leading 1.5 steals. She ranks sixth in the GNAC in 3-point shooting at 42.9 percent (21-of-49).

Western leads the league in blocked shots, averaging 4.2 per game. Summers ranks fourth among GNAC leaders in that category at 1.1, Cabe sixth at 1.0 and Pallansch eighth at 0.8.

The Vikings are second in the GNAC in seven team categories - scoring offense (73.5), scoring margin (10.9), field-goal percentage (43.3), field-goal percentage defense (36.4), 3-point percentage (38.4), 3-point percentage defense (27.5) and rebound margin (4.0).

Last week, Western ranked 18th nationally in 3-point shooting and 24th in 3-point percentage defense.

Montana State Billings is 12-10 overall and 5-7 in league action. The Yellowjackets are 5-4 at home, coming within one point of No.1-rated Alaska Anchorage, 56-55, on Feb. 7 at Alterowitz Gymnasium. They snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday with a 77-63 win at Western Oregon.

MSUB is led by 5-8 senior guard Alira Carpenter, who led the GNAC in scoring in 2007-08, is leading the conference again this season. She is averaging 22.6 points a game, which ranks seventh nationally, making 63-of-162 (38.9 percent) 3-pointers. A second-team all-region and first-team GNAC all-star last season, Carpenter has been the team's top scorer in all but two games this season, matching her career high with 33 points against Colorado State Pueblo.

Also back for MSUB is 5-10 junior guard Shantell Marquis, who received GNAC all-star honorable mention last year. She is averaging 8.0 points, 6.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.6 steals. Her assist average ranks fifth nationally, and she leads the league in that category and steals.

Two other top players, both returnees, for coach Kevin Woodin (5th year, 84-52), are 6-0 sophomore forward Kayla Ryan (11.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and 5-10 senior forward Jen Smith (9.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg).

Western holds a slim 9-8 series edge, winning 86-73 on Jan. 24 at Bellingham.

Western Oregon is 8-14 overall and 3-8 in conference play. The Wolves have lost their last four contests and six of their last seven.

WOU is led by 5-10 junior forward Katie Torland, who ranks second among league scorers with a 17.0 per game average and eighth in rebounds at 7.3. She also leads the team in assists (2.2 avg.) and steals (1.5).

Three other returning starters for coach Greg Bruce (3rd year, 19-57; 18th overall, 312-194) are 5-9 sophomore guard Sara Zahler (8.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 57.1 3-pt. pct., 40-of-70 - 3rd in GNAC), 5-11 sophomore forward Whitney Chase (8.4 ppg) and 5-10 junior forward Shayla Corder (8.0 ppg).

The Wolves are second in the league in free throw accuracy at 74.4 percent (326-of-438).

A top transfer for WOU is 6-1 junior center Alissa Brasel (5.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg), who sat out the last three seasons after being a two-time, second-team NWAACC all-star at Edmonds CC where she averaged a double-double (points and rebounds) both seasons.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Feb. 18 (Wed.) at Montana State Billings* (Billings, MT - 7 p.m. MT)
Feb. 21 (Sat.) WESTERN OREGON*# (BELLINGHAM - 2 p.m.)
Feb. 26 (Thu.) ALASKA FAIRBANKS*# (BELLINGHAM - 7 p.m.)
Feb. 28 (Fri.) ALASKA ANCHORAGE* (BELLINGHAM - 7 p.m.)

Home games (all caps) on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium (WWU campus)
#broadcast on KBAI Radio (930 AM) and via the internet at wwuvikings.com
*Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest

THREE-DOT NOTES: The Vikings have shot 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from 3-point range over the last three games with Moehrle hitting 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) from beyond the arc over the last seven contests ... Western's five-game victory streak earlier this season was its longest since winning seven straight early in the 2006-07 season ... Senior guard India Soo has been perfect at the free throw line over the last 18 games, hitting 10-of-10 ... Dunbar was the GNAC Player of the Week for Jan. 25-31.

Dunbar scored 37 points, the second-highest total in school history, in Western's 88-79 loss at Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 17, connecting on 12-of-19 field goals, 7-of-14 from 3-point range ... Summers missed three games this season with a fractured thumb on her non-shooting left hand and Pallansch was out for two contests with a back injury ... Dunbar was named Most Valuable Player at the 2008 WWU Great Western Shootout and was last season's GNAC Freshman of the Year ... Western won GNAC titles in 2002 and 2006 ... Pallansch has accumulated 991 points, 726 rebounds and 106 blocks during her four-year career.

Summers' 17 rebounds in Western's win over Hawaii Hilo on Nov. 29 were the most by a Viking since Sara Nichols brought down 19 against Lewis-Clark State on March 6, 1998 ... Summers was named MVP at the WWU Lynda Goodrich Classic, earned all-tourney honors at both the GNAC/CCAA and CCAA/GNAC Challenge Classics and received GNAC Player of the Week recognition for her performance at the Hawaii-Hilo Invitational ... The Vikings opened the season with five straight tournaments. They swept two games at both the WWU Lynda Goodrich Classic and the Hawaii Hilo Invitational, while splitting a pair of contests at each of the GNAC/CCAA and CCAA/GNAC Challenge Classics as well as the WWU Great Western Shootout.

HOME COURT DOMINANCE: The Vikings are 385-68 (85.0 percent) in 37 seasons at Carver Gym and they are 9-1 at home this season.

COACH DOLFO: Carmen Dolfo is in her 18th year as head coach at Western. She has a 371-149 (71.3 percent) record. Dolfo ranks No.14 among active NCAA II coaches in winning percentage and No.23 in victories. Dolfo's teams have reached post-season play 15 times and have won 20 or more games 13 times. She was named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006, Northwest small college Coach of the Year in 2000 and Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Dolfo was the top Viking assistant for four seasons (95-28, 77.2) and earned All-America honors as a player at Western.

TRADITION OF SUCCESS: With 803 victories (284 losses) in its 38-year history, Western is one of just 10 colleges in the nation to reach the 800-plateau... The Vikings have made 35 post-season appearances, including one stretch of 27 straight, with one semifinal and three quarterfinal finishes ... They also have had 27 20-win seasons ... Western has had 20 winning streaks of 10 or more games with its longest being 20 ... Former Western coach Lynda Goodrich, now the Vikings' director of athletics, is a member of the NAIA National Hall of Fame. She coached Western for 19 seasons, winning more than 400 games (411-127, 76.4 percent). Another Viking NAIA Hall of Famer is forward Jo Metzger (1977-81), who earned first-team All-American honors in 1980 and 1981 ... Western has had 13 first, second or third-team All-Americans.

RADIO BROADCASTS: Selected Western games are being broadcast this season on KBAI Radio (930 AM) with Doug Lange handling the play-by-play and Mark Scholten providing the color commentary. They also can be heard on the internet at www.wwuvikings.com.

ON THE WEB: For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the Western Athletic web page at www.wwuvikings.com. Up-to-date league standings and statistics can be found on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web page at www.gnacsports.com.

PROBABLE WESTERN STARTERS & TOP RESERVES:

F Willow Cabe, 5-9, **Jr., McCleary, WA/Elma
F Jessica Summers, 6-1, Sr.-TR, Blaine, WA/Blaine/Idaho)
C Claire Pallansch, 6-1, **Sr., Redmond, WA/Redmond/Oregon State
G Amanda Dunbar, 5-9, *So., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck
G Megan Pinske, 5-9, So., Coquitlam, BC/Port Moody/UBC

F Gabby Wade, 5-9, **Jr., Lacey, WA/River Ridge
G India Soo, 5-6, **Sr., Kamuela, HI/Kamehameha/Idaho State
F Liz McCarrell, 5-11, ***Sr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale
G Marelle Moehrle, 5-9, *So., Lynnwood, WA/Meadowdale
F Lauren Hefflin, 6-2, *So., Ridgefield, WA/Ridgefield

*letters won

LAST WEEK'S GAME SUMMARIES:

Feb. 12 - Alaska Anchorage 70, WESTERN 67 at Anchorage, Alaska

A furious second-half rally fell short as Western lost 70-67 to nationally No.1-ranked Alaska Anchorage in a GNAC contest at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. The Vikings never led after the first 1:34 of the game and trailed by 13 points in the first half and were behind by as many as 10 early in the second period before coming back to tie the score three times and trail by no more than four points in the final 6:20 as they allowed just three field goals in the last 16 minutes. UAA, a unanimous No.1 in this week's USA Today/ESPN Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA II Top 25, improved to 23-1 overall and remained unbeaten atop the league standings at 10-0 with its 21st straight victory. The Seawolves, who are 17-0 on their home floor this season, have lost only one time in their last 50 home contests. Trailing by 10 points, 49-39, with 16:15 left to play, Western went on a 20-10 run to tie the score at 59-all on a jumper by Summers, who had nine points and 10 rebounds, with 5:24 remaining. The score was tied twice more, the last time at 63-63 after two free throws by Cabe, who had a team-high 13 points, with 3:30 to go. The Vikings were still within two, 67-65, at the 2:58 mark. Neither team scored over the next 2:45 before Tamar Gruwell hit two free throws for a 69-65 UAA lead with 13 seconds left. During that scoreless stretch, Western missed five field-goal attempts and the Seawolves had three turnovers and one missed field goal. Wade cut the margin to two, 69-67, on a layup with three seconds remaining and UAA's Kiki Taylor hit one of two free throws with 1.9 seconds left. Taylor then tipped the in-bounds pass, allowing the Vikings no chance at a final shot. UAA reserve Dasha Basova scored a game-high 14 points, 12 in the first half, making 4-of-7 3-pointers. Gruwell, Ruby Williams and Taylor each had 11 points for the Seawolves and All-American center Rebecca Kielpinski contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Gruwell had six points and Williams five as they combined to score 11 of UAA's last 12 points. Pallansch had 12 points for Western, whose 67 points and 41.7 percent (25-of-60) field-goal percentage were tops against the Seawolves, who have the nation's top-ranked defense. UAA, which made 24-of-30 free throws (80.0 percent), outscored the Vikings, 18-5, over a five-minute stretch in the first half to lead 26-13 with 8:53 left in the period. The Seawolves held a 39-29 halftime advantage.

Feb. 14 - WESTERN 81, Alaska Fairbanks 48 at Fairbanks, Alaska

Wade, who had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, was one of three reserves to score double-figure points as Western dominated Alaska Fairbanks, 81-48, in a GNAC contest at Patty Center. The Vikings were led in scoring by Moehrle, who came off the bench with 15 points, hitting 5-of-11 3-pointers. Soo, another reserve, scored 12 points on 4-of-8 accuracy beyond the arc and had a game-high six assists. UAF dropped to 5-15 overall and is winless in 11 league contests following a 5-4 start. The Nanooks got game-highs of 21 points and 15 rebounds from Ronisha Edwards and Sheena Brown added 19 points, hitting all 11 of her free throws but making just 4-of-20 from the field. Brown scored a school-record 44 points in an 89-85 overtime loss to Central Washington on Thursday. Edwards was just 7-of-30 from the floor as UAF shot just 21.5 percent (14-of-65) from the field. UAF has been decimated by injuries, having only four of its original roster players in uniform. Rounding out the players who saw action were three who made their collegiate debuts Thursday. Western scored the first 10 points of the game and led 37-16 at halftime. The Vikings' biggest lead was 36 points, 60-24, with 11:46 remaining and they never led by less than 27 from that point on. Western starting forwards Cabe and Summers had 13 points and 13 rebounds, respectively. The Vikings, who had a huge 58-36 advantage in rebounds, now lead the series, 30-5.