BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's basketball team recorded a 73-60 victory over Seattle Pacific University on Saturday night to give 29^th-year head coach Carmen Dolfo her 600^th career win.

WWU used a dominating 29-point second quarter to build a 19-point halftime lead, and held off a late SPU charge to record the 13-point win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on WECU Court in Carver Gym. After back-to-back blowout wins in league play, the Vikings extended their winning streak to three straight to improve to 10-4 overall and 4-2 in GNAC play. Western is now 5-0 in Carver Gym this season.

Dolfo recorded the milestone 600^th victory in her 29^th season at the helm of the program, improving to 600-240 for a .714 winning percentage. She becomes the 36^th active women's basketball head coach across all divisions of the NCAA to reach the 600-win mark and the 73^rd all-time in NCAA history. Among NCAA II head coaches, she is the 8^th active and 17^th all-time to join the 600-win club.

The Vikings had five players reach double-figures in scoring, led by 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting from junior forward Emma Duff. Duff also grabbed a team-high 6 rebounds and had 4 steals. 

Senior point guard Lexie Bland scored in double-digits for the third consecutive game tying her season high with 14 points. Bland was 4-for-11 shooting and added 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

The Vikings played without two starting guards, as sophomore Avery Dykstra did not suit up due to illness and junior guard Dani Iwami went down with a knee injury less than three minutes into the game.

Sophomore guard Mollie Olson and sophomore forward Katrina Gimmaka picked the team up off the bench. Gimmaka contributed 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting in 11 minutes and Olson recorded a career-high 9 assists in 30 minutes on the court. 

Senior center Anna Schwecke was 5-for-10 from the field for 12 points and junior Kelsey Rogers had 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting. 

WWU edged SPU 39-38 in the battle of the boards and the defensive effort resulted in 14 steals, 6 blocked shots and forced 20 turnovers. The Vikings shot 42.4% (28-for-66) and were 3-for-15 from 3-point range.

The Falcons dropped to 3-11 overall and 1-5 in GNAC play, and remained winless on the road at 0-8. Madi Hingston scored a season high 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting and was 3-for-4 from 3-point range. SPU shot 40.7% for the game (24-for-59) and were 3-for-12 from 3-point range.

The Vikings (10-4, 4-2 GNAC) return to the road next week traveling to play rival Central Washington on Thursday (5:15 pm) and then to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday (7:30 pm MT).

Here is a look at the updated Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings through games played on Saturday. WWU is alone in 4^th place one game back of second-place Northwest Nazarene and Simon Fraser, both with 5-1 league records. Alaska Anchorage is undefeated at 6-0 and has won 12 consecutive games.

More information on WWU Basketball can be found online at WWUVikings.com/WBB and via social media on Twitter (@WWUBasketball), Instagram (@wwu.basketball) and Facebook (@WWUwomensbball).

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in seven of the last 11 seasons, and 34 times in the 48-year history of the program. WWU has 20 seasons of 20 or more wins under head coach Carmen Dolfo, who is the winningest coach of any sport at WWU and ranks among Division II active and all-time coaching leaders in wins with 60, win percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 16 of 21 seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. The program has 1,031 all-time wins in the 48-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of just 16 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the milestone.