SEATTLE. (Jan. 3) -- Kelley Berglund (Jr., 6-3, Port Angeles, Wa./Washington State) scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team past cross-town rival Seattle University 62-54 in the Falcons conference home opener Thursday at Brougham Pavilion. SPU is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division II ESPN/USA Today national poll.

The Falcons (10-2, 2-1) trailed the Redhawks (5-5, 0-2) for much of the first half. SU was fired up against nationally-ranked SPU and showed it with pesky defense, forcing 13 first-half SPU turnovers. SU led by as much as four points before SPU went on a 10-0 tear to end the half and take its largest lead to that point at 34-28. Berglund scored 12 of her 21 points in the first half.

SPU picked up where it left off in the second half with a 7-2 run to extend their largest lead of the game to 11 at 15:56. The Redhawks stayed in the game with four three-point buckets and came within three points of the Falcons at the 5:54 mark. The Falcons made their free-throws and maintained possession down the stretch to seal the victory.

Stephanie Urrutia (Jr., 5-9, Sunnyside, Wa./Sunnyside) and Valerie Gustafson (So., 6-0, Olympia, Wa./Black Hills) joined Berglund in double-figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Kerie Hughes (Jr., 5-6, Mt. Vernon, Wa./Mt. Vernon) handed out a game-high eight assists while Kristin Poe (So., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa./Enumclaw) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Berglund and Urrutia each picked up a game-high three steals.

Cal-Jean Lloyd paced the Redhawks with 17 points.

The Falcons host GNAC foe and No. 19-ranked Western Washington Saturday at Brougham Pavilion. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m.

SPU -- Beaumont 4, Poe 4, Berglund 21, Faurholt 4, Hughes 7, Hermanson 0, Urrutia 12, Lukkes 0, Cadotte 0, Gustafson 10.

SU -- Welton 7, Tinsley 4, Young 4, DeLaunay 11, Lloyd 17, Cordova 0, Trias 11, Takeuchi 0.

Halftime -- SPU 34, SU 28