Burnaby, B.C. (Jan. 24) -- The Central Washington University Women's basketball team (11-5, 6-3) traveled north of the border and fell to Simon Fraser University (10-6, 6-3), 79-69, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup.
 
The Clan jumped out to a quick 11-2 lead four and a half minutes into the game before the Wildcat offense had a chance to take off. A bucket from Kaelie Flores, ignited the Central offense and it was all business from there. The Wildcats went on a 7-0 run to cut the Clan lead down to just two midway through the first quarter. The Clan held the lead until the one minute mark in the first after a Sadie Mensing lay in to give the Wildcats their first lead of the game.
 
Central started the second quarter with a 6-2 run to extend their lead to 24-20 after a smooth Alexis Pana jump shot. The two teams traded buckets and went back and forth for the rest of the half. Buckets from Flores and Kassidy Malcolm tied the game and gave the Wildcats the lead to go into the half.
 
The second half started out the same way that the first ended. Both teams battling on each end of the court trading bucket after bucket. It wasn't until the six minute mark The Clan began to stretch out their lead. After a three from Jessica Jones and buckets from Ozioma Nwabuko and Sophie Swant, the Clan led 46-41. Central bounced right back with a bucket from Pana and a free throw from Mensing to cut the lead back down to three. Headed into the fourth quarter Simon Fraser lead the Wildcats by score of 53-50.
 
The Wildcats struggled in the fourth quarter and couldn't get much to fall late in the game. The Clan went on a 11-4 run to start the last quarter of play and didn't look back. After a couple key offensive rebounds and knock down shooting from the free throw line, Simon Fraser held onto the lead to close out the game and took the win by score of 79-69.
 
Alexis Pana and Kaelie Flores lead all Wildcat scorers with 18 points each. Pana went 8 of 12 from the field with three rebounds and 2 assists. Flores was six of nine from the free throw line and knocked down two shots from behind the three-point line. Mensing had another stellar night. She had 14 points going 6 of 11 from the field to accompany the four offensive and four defensive rebounds she had tonight.

"We defended the three well tonight," CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson-Thornley said afterward.  "We struggled immensely on the boards. Giving up 21 offensive boards to anyone in this league will hand you a loss. Credit to SFU for their greater physicality and relentlessness."
 
The Wildcats travel to Bellingham on Saturday for a GNAC matchup with Western Washington University.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.