ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The 16th-ranked Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team started hot and rode that wave to victory against rival Western Washington Saturday evening to sweep their GNAC home-opening weekend.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (75), Western Washington (58)
• Records: CWU (14-1, 5-0 GNAC), WWU (12-5, 4-2 GNAC)
• Location: Nicholson Arena (Ellensburg, Wash.)

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH RANDI RICHARDSON:
 
"So happy for our team to come out tonight with this win. We have a ton of respect for WWU and what they do. Our team executed incredibly well on both sides and showed a great amount of consistency for the full 40 minutes. I loved how we shared the ball which is reflected in our assists and point spread. Defensively we did a very good job limiting their top scorers below their averages besides Stump, which is a tough thing to do with the talent they have. I'm happy for our team and we are going to enjoy this one."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The two teams exchanged baskets to begin the game but a layup by Capri Sims sparked a 12-2 run by the 'Cats to take the 14-6 lead and force WWU to call a timeout with 4:10 left in the first.
• Aspen Garrison earned a jumper for the Vikings immediately following the timeout but was responded to by a three from Sierra Eddie and four-straight free-throws by Annalee Coronado to make it a 21-8 CWU lead.
• The Vikings earned back-to-back buckets, but Fiona Snashall drilled a jumper as time expired to give CWU the 23-12 lead after the first quarter.
• The two teams exchanged buckets all the way to the media timeout as the 'Cats held onto the 29-19 lead.
• Following the media timeout the 'Cats held WWU scoreless for the rest of the second while finishing the quarter on a 10-0 run to take the 39-19 lead heading into the half.
• Once again, the two teams battled back-and-forth to begin the third quarter but a three by Eddie at the 6:38 mark sparked a 9-0 run by the crimson and black to make it a 53-26 CWU lead.
• Back-and-forth again it went for the rest of the third with the quarter ending on a pair of free throws by Kayla Thornton as CWU took the 62-32 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
• The Vikings began the fourth quarter with a 10-3 run to cut the CWU lead to 65-42 heading into the media timeout.  
• A 7-1 run by WWU after the media timeout saw the CWU lead cut to 17, 66-49 with 2:53 left.
• The two teams continued to slug it out blow for blow for the rest of the game as CWU earned a 75-58 victory over their rivals.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led CWU with 21 points, adding one rebound and five assists.
• Thornton added 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one steal.
• Snashall tacked on another double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds while adding four assists, two blocks, and two steals.
• Coronado had a season-high 10 points and paired it with two rebounds and two assists.
• Sims added eight points, five rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and a steal.
• Eddie contributed nine points, one rebound, four assists, and two steals.
• Rylee Leishman added two points and two steals while both Emily Shaw and Aliyah Finch adding one point with Finch also adding a rebound and a block.
• Jordy DeMott had a steal.
• The 'Cats finished the game shooting 55.6 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three, and 73.1 percent at the free-throw line.
• Western Washington was led by Libby Stump who had a game-high 25 points and added two assists and a steal. Olivia Hodges was the only other player in double-figures with 11 points while adding nine rebounds, and two steals.
• The Vikings finished the game shooting 33.9 percent from the floor, 23.1 percent from three, and a perfect 13-13 at the free-throw line.
• CWU edged WWU in the rebound battle 32-31.

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Vikings lead the all-time series 70-16.
• CWU is on a two-game win-streak.
• The 'Cats are 9-32 against WWU in Nicholson Arena.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats will head back on the road, first heading to Seattle Pacific on Thursday January 15 at 5:15 p.m. from inside Royal Brougham Pavilion.
• CWU will then head to Montana State Billings on Saturday, January 17 with a 1:00 p.m. tip-off from inside Alterowitz Gymnasium.