BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Four Vikings finished in double-figures scoring for a balanced offense that made 14 3-pointers as the Western Washington University women’s basketball team used a strong third quarter to pull away from visiting Academy of Art in an 82-66 victory on Saturday night in the Lynda Goodrich Classic on WECU Court at Carver Gym.

The Vikings improved to 3-3 through six games of non-conference action, while Academy of Art dropped to 0-6. WWU begins conference play next week before returning to the non-conference schedule later in December.

Sophomore guard Dani Iwami (Seal Beach, CA/Los Alamitos/Hawai’i Pacific) led WWU with a season-high 17 points, connecting on 5-of-11 3-point attempts. The Vikings were 14-of-32 (43.8%) from 3-point range, one 3-pointer shy of tying the school record for most 3-pointers made in a game (achieved twice against Humboldt State in 2006) and also coming within a 3-point attempt of tying the record for 3-pointers attempted in a game (33, 2006 vs. Humboldt State).

All-tournament selections Hannah Stipanovich (Sr., F, St. Louis, MO/Clayton/Metro State) and Gracie Castaneda (RS Fr. G, Arlington, WA) each scored 16 points, with the scoring total a career-high for Castaneda during her redshirt freshman campaign. Sophomore point guard Lexie Bland (Ellensburg, WA) added 12 points.

With the Vikings leading 34-30 lead at halftime, WWU outscored Academy of Art 25-7 during the third quarter, including an 11-0 run early in the period on its way to a 59-37 lead after three quarters. The Vikings never let the lead slip to fewer than 12 points during the fourth quarter. WWU was able to adjust against the zone defense from Academy of Art and found success during the third and fourth quarters.

“It’s the first time our young team has seen zone this year, and you could tell by the first half,” head coach Carmen Dolfo said. “But the second half we started recognizing what was open and going with it, and that’s what we’re going to have to learn – that teams take different things away on different nights and we’ve got to be able to adapt and adjust.”

Castaneda, Bland, and Iwami made 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions early in the third quarter to fuel the 11-0 run, the third by Iwami to put WWU ahead 43-32 with 7:07 to play. The Vikings held the Urban Knights without a field goal over the last 3:24 of the quarter, finishing the period with an 11-1 spurt. WWU connected on 5-of-9 3-pointers during the quarter.

Academy of Art had jumped to a 9-2 lead during the first quarter before consecutive 3-pointers from Iwami brought WWU to within 9-8. Back-to-back layups from sophomore center Anna Schwecke (Evergreen, CO/Clear Creek/Colorado-Colo. Springs) helped WWU to a 14-13 lead as part of a 9-2 run for the Vikings to end the quarter en route to a 21-15 advantage after the first period.

The Vikings built their lead to as many as eight points on two occasions during the second quarter, the second time coming on a 3-pointer from junior forward Bobbi Westendorf (Auburn, WA/Kentridge/Tacoma CC) to put WWU up 30-22 with 3:55 to play before halftime. The Urban Knights answered and closed the deficit to 34-30 at halftime before the Vikings took control during the third quarter.

Overall WWU shot 27-for-68 (39.7%) from the field. The performance from 3-point range (14-for-32, 43.8%) was the highest percentage from long range since the season opener against Fresno Pacific in addition nearly tying school records for 3-point field goals made and attempted. WWU was 14-of-19 (73.7%) at the free throw line on Saturday night.

Stipanovich and Schwecke each grabbed 6 rebounds to tie for the team-high total while Castaneda had 5 rebounds. Junior guard Amanda Lance (Buckley, WA/White River) had a career-high 7 assists for the Vikings. Stipanovich tied her career-high with 4 assists and Iwami had 4 assists as well.

Academy of Art shot 28-for-69 (40.6%) from the floor and made 4-of-11 (38.4%) 3-pointers. The Urban Knights were 6-for-12 (50%) at the free throw line.

Center Helena Orts scored 18 points to lead the Urban Knights while guard Jazzlyn Brewster added 13 points and forward Pre’Franz Dominick scored 10 points. Brewster and Dominick each grabbed 9 rebounds to tie for the game-high total.

The Vikings begin the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule on Tuesday (Nov. 28), hosting Simon Fraser at 7 pm on WECU Court at Carver Gym. WWU will then travel to face Montana State Billings next Thursday (Nov. 30, 7 pm MT) before returning home with two games in the Viking Holiday Hoops Classic on Dec. 18-19 against Texas A&M International (Dec. 18, 7:30 pm) and West Texas A&M (Dec. 19, 7:30 pm).

Game Notes: Saturday’s win was No. 996 in all-time program history, bringing WWU within four wins of 1,000 all-time victories…WWU shot 14-for-32 from 3-point range, coming within one 3-pointer of tying the school record for 3-pointers in a game…during 2006 the Vikings twice made 15 3-pointers in a game against Humboldt State on Jan. 7 and Feb. 2…the total on Saturday is tied for third-most in program history…Vikings also made 14 3-pointers against Saint Martin’s on Jan. 18, 2001…Vikings were also a 3-point attempt from tying the school record for most long range attempts in a game…record is 33 3-point field goal attempts on Feb. 2, 2006 against Humboldt State…WWU has attempted 32 3-pointers four times in school history, including Saturday against Academy of Art…Hannah Stipanovich and Gracie Castaneda were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Lynda Goodrich Classic

Friday (Nov. 24)

Saint Martin’s 82, Academy of Art 61
Valdosta State 59, WWU 56

Saturday (Nov. 25)
Valdosta State 89, Saint Martin’s 73

Guard Taylor Buie made six 3-pointers to tie for the game-high with 22 points and lead four Blazers in double-figures scoring as No. 20 Valdosta State completed a 2-0 tournament with an 89-73 victory over Saint Martin’s in Saturday’s first game.

Valdosta State began to pull away after a 21-21 tie at the end of the first quarter, building a double-digit advantage with just over a minute remaining in the second quarter and extending the lead to as many as 26 points during the third quarter en route to the final margin of victory.

Center Madi Mitchell added 17 points and 8 rebounds while guard Kayla Bonilla had 12 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Crystal Townsend finished with 11 points while guard Aaliyah Cheatham had 5 points along with 10 assists.

Saint Martin’s was led by 22 points from center Elin Johansson while forward Saniah Simpson-Patu and guard Makenna Schultz each had 11 points.

WWU 82, Academy of Art 66