Complete Box Score

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 9) Autumn Fielding and the Falcons got off to a blistering start, and Seattle Pacific snapped its second losing streak in seven years with a 70-60 victory over UC San Diego in the opening game of the Great Western Shootout Tuesday afternoon at Valley High School.

The Falcons (5-3) hit five of their first seven shots to jump out to an early 14-6 lead. Fielding (Sr., 5-9, Kennewick, Wa.) drained her first three attempts, including two threes, and scored 10 of her team-high 15 points during that stretch.

Seattle Pacific extended its lead to 15 points midway through the first half, but UC San Diego (3-2) cut the deficit down to nine at the break.

The Tritons began the second half with an 18-5 run to capture their first lead of the game, pulling ahead 45-41 with 12 minutes left to play. That was short lived, however, as SPU’s Kelsey Hill (So., 6-2, Portland, Or./Portland Christian) converted a three-point play, and Libby Magnusson (Jr., 5-10, White Bear Lake, Mn.) drained a triple from long range as SPU recaptured the lead for good just two minutes later.

That catalyzed a 20-5 run to give the Falcons a 10-point lead with six minutes remaining. The Tritons never got closer than seven the rest of the way.

Magnuson finished with 10 points, and Hill contributed nine points and six rebounds to help the Falcons snap a two-game skid. Rachel Strand (Sr., 6-0, Shoreline, Wa./King’s) chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds, and Jessie Menkens (Sr., 5-10, Battle Ground, Wa./Prairie) was also in double figures with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists as the game’s top scoring reserve.

UCSD’s Hillary Hansen scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the loss. Leora Juster chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Kacie Kostlan scored 14. Michelle Osier grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Falcons shot 38.3 percent from the field and held San Diego to 37.5 percent. The Tritons won the battle of the boards 49-36, but SPU forced 20 turnovers, which resulted in 22 points, while committing just 13.

The Falcons complete tournament play tomorrow against Cal Poly Pomona at 11 a.m. The Broncos (3-4) lost 82-49 to Western Washington in the second game of the tournament today.

SEATTLE PACIFIC 70, UC SAN DIEGO 60
UC SAN DIEGO (3-2) Hansen,Hillary 8-14 2-2 18; Juster,Leora 6-18 4-6 16; Kostlan,Kacie 5-7 0-0 14; Gaskin,Alexis 1-3 2-2 4; Osier,Michelle 2-9 0-0 4; Ricks,Jillian 1-6 0-0 2; Mezzetta,Alexis 1-4 0-0 2; Noud,Meaghan 0-3 0 0 0. Totals 24-64 8-10 60.
SEATTLE PACIFIC (5-3) Fielding,Autumn 4-9 5-6 15; Menkens,Jessie 4-10 0-0 10; Magnuson,Libby 4-9 1-2 10; Strand,Rachel 4-7 1-3 10; Hill,Kelsey 3-8 3-4 9; Henderson,Daesha 3-4 0-0 7; Christensen,Beth 0-1 4-6 4; Christensen,Jessie 0-2 2-2 2; Hoisington,Megan 1-6 0-0 2; Hollands,Jackie 0-4 1-2 1. Totals 23-60 17-25 70.

UC San Diego.................. 27 33 - 60 
Seattle Pacific............... 36 34 - 70

3-point goals--UC San Diego 4-16 (Kostlan,Kacie 4-6; Juster,Leora 0-1; Ricks,Jillian 0-2; Mezzetta,Alexis 0-2; Noud,Meaghan 0-2; Hansen,Hillary 0-3), Seattle Pacific 7-22 (Fielding,Autumn 2-4; Menkens,Jessie 2-5; Strand,Rachel 1-3; Henderson,Daesha 1-2; Magnuson,Libby 1-4; Hollands,Jackie 0-3; Hill,Kelsey 0-1). Fouled out- UC San Diego-None, Seattle Pacific-None. Rebounds--UC San Diego 49 (Osier,Michelle 11), Seattle Pacific 36 (Strand,Rachel 9). Assists—UC San Diego 17 (Juster,Leora 5), Seattle Pacific 17 (Christensen,Beth 5). Total fouls--UC San Diego 20, Seattle Pacific 10. Technical fouls—UC San Diego-None, Seattle Pacific-None. A-154. 2006 Great Western Shootout - Game #1