This week...
Sat., Dec. 9, 7 p.m. -- WOMEN'S BASKETBALL at WESTERN WASHINGTON, Sam Carver Gymnasium, Bellingham, Wa.

Complete 2000 Schedule

Round one commences...
The undefeated and No. 24-ranked Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team (2-0, 5-0) faces its biggest test so far when it travels to the den of defending Pacific West Conference champion and 15th-ranked Western Washington (1-1, 4-2) Saturday night (Dec. 9). It's the first two back-to-back games with the arch-rival Vikings, who visit Brougham Pavilion Dec. 16.

Nemesis No. 1...
There is no nemesis of the Falcons more noteworthy than Western Washington. Even when SPU ruled the roost of the Northwest from 1996-98, the Vikings managed to inflict the sole home loss. And in the past two seasons Western, which advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four last year, has reeled off six straight wins in the series--five by a margin of five points or less. Seattle Pacific's last victory in the series was Jan. 17, 1998 in Bellingham. This season the PacWest coaches have placed SPU as the conference favorite, ahead of Central Washington and Western.

A good week...
The Falcons got off to a running start in the PacWest race with a pair of road wins last week. They pulled away from Seattle University in the second half for a 65-49 decision, and put together a 15-5 run midway through the second period at Northwest Nazarene to post a 79-68 win. In the two games, Coach Gordy Presnell's (14th year) outscored the hosts by a combined margin of 78-55 in the second half. The 5-0 start is the best since winning the first 12 games in 1997-98.

Gus hits career high...
Forward Gus Balogh (Sr., 5-11, Szombathely, Hungary) has proven herself to be nearly unstoppable so far this season, leading the Falcons in scoring (21.0) and connecting on 52 percent of her shots, most of them coming from the perimeter. At Northwest Nazarene, Balogh tied a career-high with 27 points, hitting 11-17 from the field. She also pulled down 10 rebounds and had four assists. It was her first double-double in 20 games. Balogh is currently ranked No. 7 on the career scoring chart, and needs 211 points to supplant Tosca Lindberg (1990-93) at No. 6.

No sophomore jinx here...
Presnell has been getting solid if not stellar play from his two starting guards. Point guard Kerie Hughes (So., 5-6, Mount Vernon, Wa./Mr. Vernon) and shooting guard Stephanie Urrutia (So., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa.) provided big lifts last week. Hughes played huge at Seattle University, scoring 13 points and adding seven assists plus five steals. She also had seven assists at Nampa, where Urrutia cranked out 16 points and four assists. For the season, Hughes leads the team in assists (6.2) and steals (4.0) while Urrutia is averaging 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds.

Gustafson a go-go...
The wait was not long and already rookie center Valerie Gustafson (Fr., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) is making the most of her opportunity. Gustafson has started the last three games in the pivot, and based on her performance, it will be difficult for Jana Holme (Sr., 6-1, Tacoma, Wa./Wilson) to regain her spot. Gustafson is averaging 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds. Against NNU, last year's state 3A prep player of the year scored nine of her 11 points after intermission.

Poe continues to please...
It's the sign of competitive ballplayer when they find a way to contribute even when their shot isn't falling. Forward Kristin Poe (So., 5-9, Enumclaw, Wa.) was just 7-26 from the field last week but nonetheless became a factor with her 13 rebounds and nine steals, six of the latter coming at Nampa. Poe leads the team in rebounding (9.6) and remains second to Balogh in scoring (14.0). She was 17-33 from the floor in the first two games.

On the mend...
Holme and Liz Guppy (Jr., 6-3, Beaverton, Or./Westview), pillars of Presnell's program the past two years, having been playing at less than full strength due to earlier injuries. Guppy, a two-year starter, suffered a sprained knee prior to the season. She missed the first two games and has averaged just 14.0 minutes. Presnell praised her 15-minute stint at NNU, when she had six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Holme, hobbled by a sore instep, yielded her starting position to Gustafson and has played only 30 minutes in the last three games. Guppy has led SPU in blocked shots the past two seasons while Holme was the top rebounder in '98-99 before missing last season because of a broken leg.

Put-backs...
At NNU, the Falcons did not make a trip to the foul line in the first half while the Crusaders were 10-18. The second period was a different story, with SPU going 18-26 and NNU 3-7...For the season, Seattle Pacific is shooting 76 percent at the line (103-136)...Brianne Prescott (Jr., 5-7, San Jose, Ca./Mitty-SJ City) saw her first action last week after missing the first three games with an ankle sprain. Prescott hit a pair of treys and had six assists in 33 minutes off the bench Opponents are shooting only 38 percent from the field and have committed 59 more turnovers. The Redhawks had 28 turnovers and NNU 31...Becka Beard (So., 5-4, Bremerton, Wa./King's West) had three assists in 12 minutes at Seattle U.

Opponent, series notes...
With Western Washington joining the PacWest, the rivalry has intensified the past two years. The two teams met four times in '98-99, including twice in the postseason. The Vikings won a first-round NCAA regional game 77-69 in overtime. Western leads the series 43-10. From 1992-98 Seattle Pacific won eight out of nine...Western, which lost four starters from its Elite Eight team, fell to Northwest Nazarene in its PacWest opener, 84-64.

PacWest Conference Standings

Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '00 -01 stats Hometown Notes
10 Ann Berberian Fr-HS 5-7 0.8/1.3 ast Seattle, Wa. All-Metro at Blanchet; played 4 games
12 Becka Beard So-1V 5-4 5.6/2.0 ast Bremerton, Wa. 23 points, 8-8 FGs v Pacific
20 Kerie Hughes* So-1V 5-6 8.8/6.2 ast Mount Vernon, Wa. 13 points, seven assists at Seattle U
22 Kirsten Daniel Sr-2V 5-7 3.5/2.0 reb Florence, Or. 7 points v Northwest College
23 Brianne Prescott* Jr-TR 5-7 5.0/3.0 ast San Jose, Ca. Returned to action vs. SC after ankle sprain
24 Stephanie Urrutia So-1V 5-9 11.8/4.2 reb Sunnyside, Wa. Career high 16 points at Northwest Nazarene
30 Stacie Lukkes So-1V 6-0 5.0/3.4 reb Kent, Wa. 6 points, 6 rebounds v Pacific
31 Kristin Poe So-1V 5-8 14.0/9.6 reb Enumclaw, Wa. 23 points, 16 reb. v Northwest
32 Jana Holme* Sr-3V 6-1 4.2/3.2 reb Tacoma, Wa. 11 points, 7 rebounds v Pacific
33 Gus Balogh* Sr-3V 5-11 21.0/4.6 reb Szombathely, Hungary 27 points in win over Northwest Nazarene
40 Liz Guppy* Sr-3V 6-3 4.0/4.0 reb Beaverton, Or. Returned to action v SC after knee sprain
42 Valerie Gustafson Fr-HS 6-0 9.8/4.6 reb Olympia, Wa. 14 points, 9 rebounds v S. Colorado
*projected starters
Coach: Gordy Presnell (Northwest Nazarene '83) 14th year (266-111) PacWest coach of the year in '97 & '98