BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The 12th-ranked Central Washington Wildcat Women's Basketball Team suffered a road defeat at Western Washington Thursday evening. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (44), Western Washington (66)
• Records: CWU (19-3, 10-2 GNAC), WWU (17-6, 9-3 GNAC)
• Location: WECU Court at Carver Gym

 
QUOTING CWU HEAD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH:
 
"Credit to WWU, they played very hard and physical to win. We didn't respond how we need to and because of that we never found rhythm offensively. We will grow from this."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• A jumper and a pair of free-throws by Asher Cai followed by a layup from Fiona Snashall gave the 'Cats a 6-0 lead at the 7:56 mark of the first quarter. 
• Western grabbed a pair of buckets, but another jumper from Cai made it an 8-4 CWU lead with 5:28 left in the first. 
• A 7-2 run by the Vikings gave them their first lead of the game at 11-10 after a pair of free-throws by Aspen Garrison at the 2:27 mark of the first. 
• A layup by Aliyah Finch was answered to with a three and a jumper to make it a 16-12 WWU lead after the first quarter. 
• Each team exchanged a pair of buckets to begin the second quarter but back-to-back buckets by the Vikings made it a 24-16 Viking lead with 5:38 left in the second.  
• The teams continued to go back-and-forth until a pair of baskets by WWU gave them their first double-digit lead of the game at 30-19 with 55 seconds left before the half break. 
• A three by Libby Stump to beat the buzzer sent the teams to the half break with the Vikings leading 33-19. 
• The Vikings continued their offensive output to begin the third quarter with another pair of buckets enroute a 9-2 run to begin the third with the Vikings leading 42-21 with 6:48 left in the third. 
• An and-one by Snashall followed by a jumper from Cai and a three from Annalee Coronado cut it to a 42-29 WWU lead with 3:47 left in the third. 
• The two teams went back-and-forth for the rest of the third with WWU leading 50-35 to head into the final 10 minutes. 
• WWU got the scoring started with a quick 7-0 run to make it a 57-35 Western Washington lead with 7:06 left. 
• The two teams continued to go back-and-forth as the Vikings ended up taking the victory 66-44. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai led the 'Cats with 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists. 
• Coronado added 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. 
• Snashall added eight points, nine rebounds, and three assists. 
• Finch tacked on six points, a block, and an assist. 
• Capri Sims added three points, four rebounds, and an assist while Nicole Wertenberger had a point. 
• Kayla Thornton had two rebounds and an assist while Sierra Eddie and Jordy DeMott both had a rebound with DeMott adding an assist. 
• The 'Cats finished the game shooting 29.2 percent from the floor, 7.1 percent from three, and 75 percent from the free-throw line. 
• WWU was led by Joy Haltom who was one of four players in double-digits with Stump (13 points), Garrison (13 points), and Olivia Hodges (10 points) rounding out the double-digits scorers. 
• WWU shot 48.2 percent from the floor, 45.5 percent from three, and 53.8 percent from the free-throw line. 
• The Vikings won the rebound battle 37-30. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• The Vikings lead the all-time series 71-16. 
• The 'Cats are 6-34 in Bellingham. 
• WWU leads conference games by a 64-13 margin. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats will look to bounce back on Saturday when they head north of the border to see the Simon Fraser Red Leafs (8-15, 3-9 GNAC) at 1:00 p.m. inside the West Gym in Burnaby, B.C.