Box Score

SEATTLE (Nov. 20) -- Sophomore Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) scored a career-high 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting, but Central Washington was unable to overcome a 16-point halftime deficit in suffering an 88-72 women's basketball loss to Humboldt State in the 2009-10 regular season opener for both teams on Friday afternoon at the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic.

Central played evenly on the scoreboard with Humboldt State in the second half, as each team scored 43 points in the period and the Wildcats shot nearly 50 percent from the floor after halftime. However, CWU made just 30.6 percent of its attempts in the opening half while the Lumberjacks hit on an even 50 percent from the floor in building a 45-29 lead at the intermission.

Russell, whose previous career-high was 14 in the 2008-09 season finale, had 12 of her 19 points in the second half. She also had three assists, two rebounds, and two steals in just her fifth collegiate start.

The Wildcats' offensive efforts were aided by seniors Amanda Murdoch (Bozeman, Mont.) and Brooke Fernandez (Castle Rock), who added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Central scored the game's first points on its opening possession, as senior Sara Bergner (Bellingham) hit a three-pointer just 19 seconds into the contest. However, a 15-2 run by Humboldt State over the next four minutes put the Wildcats in an early deficit, and the closest they would get the rest of the way was a seven-point margin as late as 6:15 remaining in the first half.

While Central posted one of its best offensive efforts since the beginning of last season (the Wildcats scored 72 or more points in just four of 27 games in 2008-09), they were outmatched on the glass by Humboldt State. The Lumberjacks outrebounded the Wildcats by a 46-27 margin despite an eight-rebound effort by Shaina Afoa (Anchorage, Alaska/A.J. Dimond HS), who was the only Central player with more than three caroms. Afoa also totaled eight points, four assists, and led all players with five steals as the Wildcats forced 22 turnovers.

Humboldt, which outscored Central 48-22 in the paint, had five players reach double figures. Brittney Taylor led all players with 20 points for the Lumberjacks, while Paige Peterson flirted with a triple-double with 14 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.

Central Washington will continue tournament play at the Sodexho Tip-Off Classic on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Colorado Christian in the first of back-to-back contests against the Cougars. CWU and CCU will also play in the opening game of next weekend's Northwest Nazarene University Classic in Nampa, Idaho, on Nov. 27.