NEWBERG, Ore. –Lewis & Clark College women's basketball cut an early deficit to one point but could not recover from a 23-13 third quarter, falling to George Fox University 75-66 in Northwest Conference action Saturday afternoon at Wheeler Sports Center.
 
THE BASICS
 
George Fox 75, Lewis & Clark 66
Lewis & Clark (6-15, 3-9 NWC)
George Fox (12-9, 8-4 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Sophomore Kaitlen Carns led the River Otters with 15 points and made all seven of her free-throw attempts.
 
First-year Ali McCauley added 13 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting. She also recorded three assists and four steals.
 
Fellow first-year Ky Roussin chipped in a career-high 10 points with three rebounds, three steals and one block.
 
Lewis & Clark stayed within striking distance through the first half, as George Fox never led by more than two possessions. After falling behind 14-8 with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter, seniors Tatiana Rebanal and Madelyn Sanchez hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 14-all. McCauley then gave the River Otters their first lead, 16-14, with a fast-break layup at the 1:05 mark. The Bruins tied the game at 16-all in the final seconds of the opening quarter.
 
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with Lewis & Clark's defense preventing George Fox from pulling away. After the Bruins took a 30-24 lead, McCauley converted a driving layup and Sanchez knocked down her second 3-pointer to pull the River Otters within one, 30-29, with 24 seconds remaining. George Fox made one of two free throws just before halftime to take a 31-29 lead into the break.
 
Lewis & Clark took its second lead of the game right after halftime when first-year Hailey Perez (nine points) drained a 3-pointer to give the visitors a 32-31 edge. The Bruins responded with a 9-1 run to regain control, building a 40-33 lead three minutes into the third quarter. George Fox maintained a double-digit advantage late in the period, outscoring Lewis & Clark 23-13 in the quarter and carrying a 54-42 lead into the final 10 minutes.
 
The Bruins extended the lead to 61-46 with 6:12 remaining before the River Otters made a push. Lewis & Clark trimmed the deficit to eight, 61-53, with 4:27 left after Carns converted a pair of free throws. George Fox answered and did not allow the Otts to get any closer down the stretch.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Carns went a perfect 17-for-17 from the free throw line over the weekend and is 33-of-34 over the last four games.
• Roussin went 4-for-6 from the field in her collegiate-best 10-point performance.
• Junior Divinity Singleton led the River Otters with five rebounds, while fellow junior DJ Kendrick added four.
• Lewis & Clark converted 20 George Fox turnovers into 23 points.
• The River Otters' bench outscored the Bruins 29-14.

UP NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark travels to Whitworth for a 5:30 p.m. Northwest Conference game Friday in Spokane, Washington.