A strong defensive effort and a game-high scoring performance from Jenna Glenzel were not enough for The Evergreen State College on Friday, as the Geoducks fell 72-48 to Bushnell University in Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball action at the Morse Center in Eugene.
Glenzel, a senior guard, scored 18 points to lead all players for The Evergreen State College Geoducks, shooting 6-of-10 from the field. She also added three rebounds and five steals, continuing to pace the CCC with five steals per game and 40 total steals on the season.
Evergreen kept pace early, matching the Bushnell University Beacons through the opening quarter. After Bushnell built a brief 10-5 lead midway through the first, the Geoducks answered with a late push, tying the game at 15-15 on a jumper by Bayleigh Harder. The teams entered the second quarter deadlocked at 17-17.
Bushnell seized control early in the second quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Sabrina Flowers. The Beacons extended the margin to as many as 14 points before Glenzel knocked down a late three to send Evergreen into halftime trailing 35-24.
Harder provided a strong inside presence for Evergreen, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Jesselle Victo Castillo added seven points and two assists while shooting 5 of 6 from the field, and freshman Habiba Adama chipped in six points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Geoducks showed signs of life early in the third quarter, opening with a 6-0 run to pull within 37-30 following a layup by Glenzel. Bushnell responded quickly, however, putting together a 9-0 run to reestablish control and take a 52-38 lead into the fourth quarter. The Beacons gradually pulled away over the final 10 minutes.
Maddie Gerhart led Bushnell with 15 points, including a perfect 9-for-9 effort at the free-throw line. Flowers added 14 points, while Kenzie Pederson recorded nine points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Evergreen shot 30 percent from the field for the game but connected on 50 percent of its attempts in the third quarter. The Geoducks were limited to 18.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The loss dropped Evergreen to 0-8 overall and 0-5 in CCC play.
