Magic Runs Out for SPU Women; Chico State Wins Regional
March 13, 2006

Complete Box Score

SEATTLE (Mar. 13) – Chico State’s Amber Simmons had 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Wildcats to a 72-63 victory over 2005 national runner-up Seattle Pacific in the NCAA Division II West Regional championship game Monday night at Sam Carver Gym on the Western Washington University campus.

Western Regional Tournament MVP Amber Simmons muscles into the paint against Seattle Pacific's Carli Grant during the title game. Photo by Dan Levine.

The Wildcats (27-3), the tournament’s second seed, advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA II tournament beginning Mar. 22 in Hot Springs, Ak. The Falcons (24-6), the West Region’s fifth seed and winner of the past two regional championships, lost for just the second time in the past 19 games after nearly pulling off a remarkable comeback for the second straight contest.

“It’s tough to lose but, unfortunately, unless you are the national champions, that’s the way it ends,” said SPU coach Julie van Beek. “Our kids played their hearts out tonight. A week from now they will realize that they have nothing to hang their heads about.”

Mandy Wood (Sr., 5-6, Port Angeles, Wa.) scored 14 of her team-high 16 points in the second half to help SPU overcome an 11-point halftime deficit.

The Falcons, who stormed back from a 15-point second half deficit to defeat top seed and tournament host Western Washington in a semifinal two nights ago, trailed 13, 38-25, in this contests with 17:36 left to play. Seattle Pacific then went on a 19-2 run to pull ahead 44-40 with 12:25 remaining.

Wood scored 11 points during the run, including all three of her three pointers on the night. SPU’s all-time leader from behind the arc, Wood shot just 3-for-15 from long range.

The Falcons did not hold the lead for long as Chico answered with eight straight points to capture the lead for good. The Wildcats then extended the margin to 10 points with 3:32 left to play. SPU cut the deficit in half, but never got any closer than five the rest of the way.

Beth Christensen (So., 5-5, Enumclaw, Wa.) gave SPU a spark with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes off the bench. She was the only other SPU player to score in double figures.

Simmons shot 7-for-13 from the field and also led all players with four blocked shots to lead Chico State to its first-ever regional title. Amy Van Hollebeke added 15 points and nine assists in the win. Lauren Himmelspach finished with 12 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

SPU also got nine points and nine rebounds from Brittney Kroon (Sr., 6-4, Wasilla, Ak.) and nine points and eight boards from Jenny Poe (Sr., 5-8, Enumclaw, Wa.). Forward Carli Grant (Sr., 5-11, Spokane, Wa./Valley Christian) chipped in five points and nine rebounds.

The Falcons held Chico to just 35 percent shooting and held a 53-44 advantage in rebounds. Seattle Pacific, however, shot just 32 percent for the game and committed 21 turnovers.

“It’s tough to win a regional championship when you shoot 32 percent,” van Beek said. “But we did a great job defensively and gave ourselves a chance to win. Had we made our shots tonight, we could have won.”

Simmons was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and was joined by teammate Jennifer Borror on the All-Tournament Team. SPU’s Kroon and Wood were both named to the team as was Rhonda Johnson of Cal State Bakersfield.

The Falcons defeated No. 4 seed and nationally 23rd-ranked UC San Diego in the opening day of the tournament on Friday. They followed with a win over No. 1 seed and nationally fourth-ranked Western Washington on its home floor to advance to their third straight regional championship game.

“Our kids have not been in the situation of playing underdogs in this tournament before, and they handled it well,” van Beek said. “We upset two very good teams to get here and despite our experience, would have made a nice Cinderella story.”

The loss marked the end of an impressive and dominant era for SPU women’s basketball with the departure of seniors Grant, Kroon, Poe and Wood. Over the past four years, SPU has won 113 of 124 games and produced three conference championships, two regional titles and a trip to the national championship game.

So much of our success came from the tone set by our seniors,” van Beek said. “They are proven winners and have accomplished something in four years that not many people will have the chance to do.”

“What our team has done has been amazing,” van Beek added. “They had to deal with a coaching change and several injuries throughout the season. We peaked at the right time and had a tremendous season.”

NCAA II West Regional - All-Tournament
Amber Simmons – Chico State (MVP)
Jennifer Borror – Chico State
Rhonda Johnson – Cal State Bakersfield
Brittney Kroon – Seattle Pacific
Mandy Wood – Seattle Pacific

CHICO STATE 72, SEATTLE PACIFIC 63
SEATTLE PACIFIC (24-6) Wood,Mandy 5-21 3-4 16; Christensen,Beth 4-9 2-2 11; Poe,Jenny 4-6 0-0 9; Kroon,Brittney 4-11 1-3 9; Grant,Carli 1-2 3-4 5; Strand,Rachel 1-1 2-2 5; Menkens,Jessie 2-9 0-0 4; Hill,Kelsey 1-5 0-0 2; Fielding,Autumn 1-7 0-0 2. Totals 23-71 11-15 63.
CHICO STATE (27-3) SIMMONS, Amber 7-13 6-9 20; VAN HOLLEBEKE, Amy 4-12 6-8 15; HIMMELSPACH, Lauren 3-10 4-4 12; FORD, Haley 3-12 2-2 9; BORROR, Jennifer 4-10 0-0 8; SPENCER, Audriana 2-5 0-2 4; EDWARDS, Cory 1-4 2-2 4; SIMONS, Niki 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-68 20-27 72.

Seattle Pacific............... 23 40 - 63 
Chico State................... 34 38 - 72

3-point goals-Seattle Pacific 6-27 (Wood,Mandy 3-15; Christensen,Beth 1-3; Strand,Rachel 1-1; Poe,Jenny 1-1; Fielding,Autumn 0-3; Menkens,Jessie 0-4), Chico State 4-18 (HIMMELSPACH, Lauren 2-5; VAN HOLLEBEKE, Amy 1-7; FORD, Haley 1-4; SIMONS, Niki 0-1; SPENCER, Audriana 0-1). Fouled out—Seattle Pacific-Strand,Rachel, Chico State-None. Rebounds-Seattle Pacific 53 (Kroon,Brittney 9; Grant,Carli 9), Chico State 44 (SIMMONS, Amber 15). Assists-Seattle Pacific 13 (Wood,Mandy 5), Chico State 19 (VAN HOLLEBEKE, Amy 9). Total fouls-Seattle Pacific 21, Chico State 16. A-405.