The Falcons Online -- Seattle Pacific University Athletics

Smith, Falcons Stay Hot; Close In on Third Straight GNAC Title
February 5, 2005

SEATTLE (Feb. 24) – Carli Smith poured in a game-high 15 points to lead Seattle Pacific to a 75-49 rout of crosstown rival Seattle University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game on Thursday night at Brougham Pavilion.

The Falcons (14-1 GNAC, 22-2), ranked No. 1 in the West Region and No. 4 in all of NCAA II, won their 42nd straight home conference game and 26th overall at Brougham with their 15th straight victory over Seattle U. With a victory on Saturday night against Western Washington, the Falcons would capture their third straight GNAC championship. The Redhawks (4-12 GNAC, 9-16) lost for the seventh time in its last eight outings and fell to 0-10 on the road.

Smith (Jr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian), who has averaged nearly 19 points over the last three games, shot 7-for-9 from the field and also grabbed six rebounds. Rachel Strand (So., 6-2, Shoreline, Wa./King’s) added 12 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Mandy Wood (Jr., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) also scored 12 in the win.

Seattle Pacific jumped all over the Redhawks from the tip-off, scoring the first nine points of the game as part of an opening 13-2 run to take command early. Strand later hit one of her career-high two three-pointer and Quinn Brewe (Fr., 6-1, Edmonds, Wa./Meadowdale) scored a basket to put SPU on top 27-11 midway through the half. SPU scored the final five points of the half to capture a 42-18 lead at the break and cruised the rest of the way.

SU’s Thresia Busch matched Smith with 15 points to pace the Redhawks, but she didn’t get much help from her teammates. Kristen Connolly was next on the scoring list with seven points off the bench in the loss.

Seattle Pacific shot 51.8 percent for the game, including 57.1 percent in the first half. The Falcons were also good on 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) of their three-point attempts. SPU held Seattle University to just 29.8 percent shooting. The Falcons also forced 22 turnovers and out-rebounded SU 39-33.

The Falcons host longtime rival Western Washington on Saturday at 5 p.m.

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 79, SEATTLE UNIVERSITY 45
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY (4-12 GNAC, 9-16) Busch,Thresia 6-15 3-5 15; Connolly,Kristen 3-11 1-1 7; Thomas,Jackie 2-2 1-1 5; Dougherty,Danica 1-2 2-2 5; Sobczak,Laina 2-7 0-0 4; Dascenzo,Nicole 1-2 1-2 3; Payne,Ashley 1-6 0-0 3; Smith,Cassy 1-1 0-0 2; Jones,Laura 0-2 1-2 1; Iverson,Jenny 0-1 0-0 0; Kerr,Amanda 0-8 0-0 0. Totals 17-57 9-13 45.
SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY (14-1 GNAC, 22-2) Smith,Carli 7-9 1-1 15; Wood,Mandy 4-7 3-4 12; Strand,Rachel 4-10 2-2 12; Hermanson,Trisha 3-5 0-0 8; Taylor,Amy 1-4 4-5 7; Brewe,Quinn 3-6 0-0 6; Kroon,Brittney 2-3 1-2 5; Christensen,Beth 1-1 2-2 4; Poe,Jenny 2-2 0-0 4; Christensen,Jessie 1-1 1-2 3; Beaumont,Michelle 1-6 0-0 3; Fielding,Autumn 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-56 14-18 79.

Seattle University............ 18 27 - 45 
Seattle Pacific University.... 42 37 - 79

3-point goals-Seattle University 2-9 (Dougherty,Danica 1-2; Payne,Ashley 1-4; Iverson,Jenny 0-1; Connolly,Kristen 0-2), Seattle Pacific University 7-16 (Hermanson,Trisha 2-4; Strand,Rachel 2-3; Beaumont,Michelle 1-4; Taylor,Amy 1-1; Wood,Mandy 1-2; Fielding,Autumn 0-2). Fouled out—Seattle University-None, Seattle Pacific University-None. Rebounds-Seattle University 33 (Sobczak,Laina 7), Seattle Pacific University 39 (Brewe,Quinn 8). Assists-Seattle University 9 (Busch,Thresia 2; Dascenzo,Nicole 2), Seattle Pacific University 20 (Beaumont,Michelle 3; Poe,Jenny 3; Christensen,Beth 3; Wood,Mandy 3; Taylor,Amy 3). Total fouls-Seattle University 16, Seattle Pacific University 12. A-671