Hermanson's Career-High Leads No. 2 Falcon Women Past St. Martin's
February 6, 2003

LACEY, WA. (Feb. 6) -- Trisha Hermanson (So., 5-6, Buckley, Wa./White River) scored a career-high 19 points and Carli Smith (Fr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian) registered her fifth double-double of the season to lead the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team past St. Martin's 73-62 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest Thursday night.

The Falcons (19-0, 10-0), currently ranked No. 2 in the WBCA/USA Today national poll and first in the West Region, extended their program-record unbeaten streak to 19 games.

Seattle Pacific maintained a slim two-point advantage over the Saints (9-10, 5- 5) with fewer than five minutes remaining in the contest before sealing the victory.

Hermanson converted 6-of-12 shot attempts, including five three-pointers. A knee injury forced Hermanson out of the game in the second half. She will undergo x-rays tomorrow, but is doubtful for Saturday's game at Northwest Nazarene. Smith turned in 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Falcons on the glass. She also forced a career-high five steals to lead a Seattle Pacific defense that held Saint Martin's to just 38 percent shooting.

The Saints 40-37 rebounding edge and stingy defense kept them in the game late.

The team finished with 11 steals on 16 Falcon turnovers.

The Falcons continue this week's trip in Nampa, Idaho, on Saturday night when they face Northwest Nazarene.

SEATTLE PACIFIC -- Smith 12, Hermanson 19, Wood 2, Hughes 10, Casimir 0, Beaumont 0, Urrutia 12, Lukkes 0, Berglund 10, Kroon 0, Gustafson 8

SAINT MARTIN'S -- Bocook 3, Eisentrout 7, Colbo 2, Erickson 20, Reil 4, Anderson 6, Kartikova 18, White 2

Halftime -- SPU 36, SMC 28