Dec. 17, 2003
Box Score
LA MIRADA, Calif. - Guard Kelly Colard (Jr., Elma) scored a game-high 18 points, including 11 during a decisive run in the final 10 minutes, as Western Washington University defeated Biola University, 67-48, in a non-conference women's basketball game Wednesday at Chase Gymnasium.
It was the fifth straight win for the Vikings, who improved to 7-1. They also got 15 points and eight rebounds from forward Tessa DeBoer (Sr., Lynden/Lynden Christian) and guard Jodi Gerald (Jr., Puyallup/Cascade Christian) contributed 12 points off the bench.
Biola, which fell to 5-5, was led by forward Lindsey Richelli with 13 points and seven rebounds. Center Sarah Baird, a NAIA third-team All-America last year, and forward Elizabeth Matthews each had 12 points for the Eagles.
"She stepped up and was really looking to score," said Western coach Sara Nichols of Colard, who also had eight rebounds and four steals. Colard was 7-of-10 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
Trailing by one point, 43-42, midway through the second half, Western closed out the game with a 25-5 run, scoring the last 12 points. Colard and forward Tina Donahue (So., Stanwood) began the rally with back-to-back 3-pointers as the Vikings scored eight unanswered points for a 50-43 lead.
Western was behind by three points, 20-17, with 3:54 left in the first half, but closed out the period with a 13-4 run, Colard hitting a 3-pointer with seven seconds left.
The Vikings led 42-38 with 12 minutes left. Biola then scored five straight points, the last two by Baird, giving the Eagles their only lead of the second half.
Western held Biola to 27.9 percent (17-of-61) field goal shooting and outrebounded the Eagles, 51-32.
The Vikings next compete in the third annual California Collegiate Athletic Association/Great Northwest Athletic Conference Challenge Classic at Los Angeles, Calif., meeting Cal Poly Pomona on Friday (3 p.m.) and host Cal State L.A. on Saturday (5 p.m.).
