Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. - Three-point shooting was the difference as the Western Washington University women's basketball team opened its season with a 98-88 loss to Humboldt State University in first-day action Friday, Nov. 14, at the Sodexo Tipoff Classic being held at Royal Brougham Pavilion on the campus of host Seattle Pacific University.

The Vikings, ranked No.21 in the USA Today Sports Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, made just 5-of-17 treys, 29.4 percent. Meanwhile, Humboldt State connected on 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc for 56.5 percent.

Guard Katie Colard (Sr., McCleary/Elma) led WWU with 18 points and post-player Tia Briggs (So., Tacoma/Wilson) had 17 points and nine rebounds.

Center Kayla Bernsen (Jr., Moses Lake) , who sat out all of last season for the Vikings with a knee injury, scored 16 points and blocked four shots; and forward Taylor Peacocke (So., Kenmore/Inglemoor) had 14 points on 6-of-8 field-goal shooting.

HSU got a game-high 19 points from reserve Neika Puryear, who made 3-of-4 threes. Guard Kersey Wilcox, who also hit 3-of-4 3-pointers, finished with 18 points and a game-high 10 assists, and forward A'Jaee Foster had a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

Guard Jae Shin led the Lumberjacks' 3-point barrage by making 4-of-5 and scoring 14 points, and Megan Shields contributed 12 points.

WWU led 11-4 after the first five minutes and held a 44-42 advantage at halftime. HSU opened the second half with a 12-4 run in the first four minutes to go in front, 54-48, and stretched that lead to as many as 13, 85-72, with 5:24 remaining after a 14-2 run.

The Vikings scrambled back to within four, 87-83, with two minutes left. But HSU closed the game with an 11-5 run, making seven free throws during that stretch.

The setback snapped a WWU string of six straight season-opening victories.

The Vikings meet Fresno Pacific University in final-day tourney action Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m.