Ellensburg, Wash. – The Central Washington University women's basketball (10-4, 5-2 GNAC) team fell to Northwest Nazarene University (15-0, 7-0), 89-69, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup.
 
"We defended them from three tonight," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said.  "They weren't able to go off from beyond the arc and they're a great three-point shooting team. We took away, in the first three quarters, their transition offense and forced them to play in the half court a bit. We struggled with offensive rebounds and late in the game points off of turnovers.  When a team has 50 second chance points and points off of turnovers, it is tough to beat them, especially a team like Northwest Nazarene. They were able to get into a roll and back into their normal rhythm and started hitting some shots. I'm proud of our girls for their effort."
 
The Wildcats looked to continue their five game GNAC win streak after a monumental win over Seattle Pacific last Saturday. Central was 5-1 going into the game against the Nighthawks, who are atop the GNAC standings.
 
The Wildcats jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead with buckets from Kassidy Malcolm, Sadie Mensing and a three from Taylor Shaw. The Nighthawks answered back with a quick run of their own, tying the game at nine. The two teams went bucket for bucket for the remainder of the quarter. The Wildcats trailed 17-16 at the end of the first period.
 
The second quarter started the same way that the first quarter ended, the two teams trading buckets. With 8:30 left in the first half, the Nighthawks began to extend a lead. After back to back buckets by Danielle Jardine, the Nighthawks took a 36-31 lead over the Wildcats. A bucket from Kaelie Flores cut the Nighthawk lead to three. Northwest Nazarene answered, taking a 38-33 into halftime.
 
Coming out of halftime, the Nighthawks went on a quick 10-2 run to increase their lead to 48-35. The Wildcats 2-for-5 from behind the arc in the third quarter, trying to cut into the Nighthawk lead. They'd go 14-of-24 from the field in the third as well. The Nighthawk offense was just too much for the Wildcats to handle as they shot 48 percent from the field as a team including 17 from Ellie Logan as well as Raquel Jardine.
 
The Nighthawks found their stride in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 29-17.  Northwest Nazarene finished with 58 of their 89 points coming in the paint. 
 
"We just didn't step up and compete," Richardson-Thornley added.  "When they went on a roll we shied away.  Northwest Nazarene has tough kids and hanging with them wasn't going to beat them, it just made them rise to the occasion."
 
Alexis Pana lead the way for the Wildcat offense with 17 points along with seven assists and three steals. She was four of five from deep and three of three from the charity stripe. Kaelie Flores also had a great game with 13 points to go along with two rebounds, two assists and a block.
 
The Wildcats host Montana State Billings on Thursday (Jan. 17) at 7:00 p.m. in Nicholson Pavilion.
 
"We've grown so much in how we carry ourselves and how we fight back when we are under pressure," Richardson-Thornley noted.  "Tonight we weren't able to do that."