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Dec. 30, 2007

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

UPDATE: Making its first home appearance in six weeks, the Western Washington University women's basketball team opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday, Jan. 5 (7 p.m.), entertaining arch-rival and unbeaten Central Washington University on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The Vikings, 3-9, dropped a pair of close games last week at the California Collegiate Athletic Association/Great Northwest Athletic Conference Crossover Classic at LaJolla, Calif. They fell 68-62 to Cal Poly Pomona on Dec. 28 and had an upset bid fall short, 79-76 in double overtime, against host and nationally No.3-ranked UC San Diego on Dec. 29.

Six of the Vikings' losses this season have been to teams rated in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll, including three to UC San Diego.

Western junior point guard India Soo, who is averaging 8.5 points and a team-high 3.9 assists, earned all-tourney honors at the CCAA/GNAC Classic. She scored 31 points in the two games, hitting 7-of-12 3-pointers, and handed out seven assists.

Freshman guard Marelle Moehrle came off the bench with 19 points on 5-of-9 3-point shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in the UC San Diego loss, and center Claire Pallansch had 15 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Moehrle is shooting 40.8 percent (20-of-49) from beyond the arc this season, averaging 7.8 points. Pallansch is averaging 10.7 points with a team-best 8.2 rebounds and 18 blocks.

Redshirt freshman guard Amanda Dunbar continues to lead the Vikings with a 13.2 scoring average.

Head coach Carmen Dolfo (17th season, 350-131) has already used eight different starting lineups this season, Pallansch being the only Western player to start every game.

Sophomore center Tara Holgate, a 6-foot-4 transfer from NCAA I Eastern Washington, is averaging 6.4 points on a team-best 58.0 percent (29-of-50) field-goal shooting. She also is grabbing 4.9 rebounds per contest and has blocked 16 shots.

Junior forward Sarah Schramm is averaging 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds, and sophomore forward Gabby Wade is averaging 6.0 rebounds after pulling down 21 in two games last week.

Central, which upset UC San Diego, 65-57, at the Great Western Shootout, is off to an 8-0 start. The Wildcats are led by 5-9 senior guard Hanna Hull, who was the GWS MVP. She is averaging 14.9 points per game and has made 48.8 percent of her 3-point shots (20-of-41).

Another top returnee for Central is 6-1 senior center Kristina Klapperich, who is averaging 10.6 points and 6.1 rebounds. A pair of standout newcomers are 5-9 freshman guard Jenn Jacobs, who is averaging 12.4 points, and 5-7 junior guard Brooke Fernandez, a transfer from NCAA I Portland, who is scoring at a 10.9 clip.

Central, which has lost its last nine meetings with the Vikings, is shooting 45.4 percent (64-of-141) from 3-point range.

Western has posted double-digit home victories in each of the last 10 seasons, but has won just one of three games at Carver Gym this year. Overall, the Vikings are 372-62 (85.7 percent) at home in 36 seasons. The have not lost more than two games in a season at home since dropping four in 1997-98.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Jan. 5 (Sat.) CENTRAL WASHINGTON* (CARVER GYM - 7 p.m.)
Jan. 10 (Thu.) at Seattle U.*# (Seattle - Connolly Center - 5:30 p.m.)
Jan. 12 (Sat.) at Montana State Billings* (Billings, MT - Alterowitz Gymnasium - 5 p.m.)

Home games (all caps) on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium
#broadcast on KBAI Radio (930 AM) and via the internet at wwuvikings.com
*Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest

THREE-DOT NOTES: Western's double overtime game with UC San Diego tied the school record for longest contest. The Vikings also lost in double OT to Seattle Pacific on Feb. 7, 1984 (83-77) and to Simon Fraser on Feb. 6, 1999 (75-73) ... Western is averaging 24.9 turnovers per game this season and has not had less than 19 in a game ... Dolfo picked up career win No.350 over Cal State Monterey Bay on Dec. 18 at Las Vegas, Nev. ... Soo was an all-tourney pick at the CCAA/GNAC Classic as was Dunbar at the Great Western Shootout. Holgate and Soo were all-tourney picks at the 11th annual WWU Lynda Goodrich Classic, and Dunbar and Pallansch received all-tournament recognition at Disney's DII West Coast Tip-Off Classic .... The Vikings have made nine straight NCAA II national tournament appearances.

VIKINGS' PAINFUL START: It has been a season like no other for Western in regards to injuries and related issues. A timetable of the events follows:

* It is determined during the spring that junior point guard Elyse Hartman, a part-time starter, must redshirt in order to completely recover from an injury to her left knee that ended her 2006-07 season on Feb. 2 and required surgery.

* In late September, junior forward Willow Cabe, who averaged 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds off the bench, decides not to return to school.

* During pre-season practice, senior forward Liz McCarrell suffers a season-ending dislocation and torn ligament in her right foot that required surgery. McCarrell, a returning starter, averaged 10.9 points and was a second-team league all-star.

* On Nov. 9, senior forward Krystal Robinson suffers a career-ending ACL tear in her left knee during an exhibition game with Pacific Lutheran. She was a returning starter who averaged 10.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and a GNAC-leading 2.9 blocks, which ranked fourth nationally. Robinson finished second among school career leaders in blocks with 190.

* Redshirt freshman guard Amanda Dunbar misses two games with stress fracture suffered at Disney's DII West Coast Tip-Off Classic.

* Junior point guard India Soo misses two games with Achilles' tendon injury, being hampered by shin splints.

* Sophomore forward Krista Lersch has missed the last four games and will be out another 3-4 weeks with an injured right knee.

* Junior forward Sarah Schramm has not missed a game, but has been hampered by a shoulder injury and dental surgery.

SISTER ACT: Sarah and Kristin Schramm are the first sisters to play together on a Western team. Sarah, a junior, transferred to Western last year after spending a season at Gonzaga University. Kristin walked on this year after graduating from Chelan High School.

HOME COURT DOMINANCE: The Vikings are 372-62 (85.7 percent) in this their 36th year at Carver Gym (1-2 this season). Western has reached double-digit victories at home in each of the last 10 years with an 11-1 record on Haggen Court in 2006-07. Western was 14-1 in 2005-06, 12-1 in 2004-05, 11-2 in 2003-04, 12-2 in 2002-03, 13-1 in 2001-02, 13-1 in 2000-01, 12-0 in 1999-2000, 13-2 in 1998-99 and 10-4 in 1997-98.

COACH DOLFO: Carmen Dolfo is in her 17th year as head coach at Western. She has a 350-131 (72.8 percent) record. Entering this season, Dolfo ranked No.9 among active NCAA II coaches in winning percentage and No.25 in victories. Dolfo's teams have reached post-season play 15 times and have won 20 or more games 13 times. She was named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006, Northwest small college Coach of the Year in 2000 and Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Dolfo was the top Viking assistant for four seasons (95-28, 77.2) and earned All-America honors as a player at Western.

TRADITION OF SUCCESS: With 782 victories in its 37-year history, Western is one of just four NCAA Division II schools that has reached the 775 milestone and 10 nationally in all NCAA divisions ... The Vikings have made 27 straight post-season appearances and 33 overall, reaching nationals 16 times, including one semifinal and three quarterfinal finishes ... They also have had 27 20-win seasons ... Western has had 20 winning streaks of 10 or more games with its longest being 20, and its longest losing streak is just four games ... Former Western coach Lynda Goodrich, now the Vikings' director of athletics, is a member of the NAIA National Hall of Fame. She coached Western for 19 seasons, winning more than 400 games (411-124, 76.7 percent). Another Viking NAIA Hall of Famer is forward Jo Metzger (1977-81), who earned first-team All-American honors in 1980 and 1981 ... Western has had 13 first, second or third-team All-Americans.

RADIO BROADCASTS: Selected Western games are being broadcast this season on KBAI Radio (930 AM) with Doug Lange handling the play-by-play and Mark Scholten providing the color commentary. They also can be heard on the internet at www.wwuvikings.com.

ON THE WEB: For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the Western Athletic web page at www.wwuvikings.com. Up-to-date league standings and statistics can be found on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web page at www.gnacsports.com.

PROBABLE WESTERN STARTERS & TOP RESERVES:

F Kristin Schramm, 5-9, Fr., Chelan, WA/Chelan
F Gabby Wade, 5-9, *So., Lacey, WA/River Ridge
C Claire Pallansch, 6-1, *Jr., Redmond, WA/Redmond/Oregon State
G Amanda Dunbar, 5-9, R-Fr., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck
G India Soo, 5-6, *Jr., Kamuela, HI/Kamehameha/Idaho State

C Tara Holgate, 6-4, So., Everett, WA/Snohomish County Christian/EWU
F Sarah Schramm, 6-0, *Jr., Chelan, WA/Chelan/Gonzaga
G Marelle Moehrle, 5-9, Fr., Lynnwood, WA/Meadowdale
G Kaitlin McBride, 5-7, Fr., Bothell, WA/Bothell
C Lauren Hefflin, 6-2, Fr., Ridgefield, WA/Ridgefield
*letters won

GAME SUMMARIES:

Dec. 28 - Cal Poly Pomona 68, WESTERN 62 at CCAA/GNAC Crossover Classic

A late rally could not overcome 28 turnovers as Western fell 68-62 to Cal Poly Pomona in first-day action at the CCAA/GNAC Crossover Classic held at La Jolla, Calif. The Vikings were led by Soo with 14 points. Dunbar added 13 points, all in the second half, and Wade came off the bench with a game-high 10 rebounds and seven points. CPP, which notched back-to-back wins for the first time this season, improved to 3-4. Forward Vanessa Dominguez paced the Broncos with a game-high 19 points, 13 in the second half. Trailing by 16 points, 55-39, with 5:38 left in the game, Western used an 18-7 run with Dunbar scoring the last seven to pull within five, 62-57, with 1:01 to go. A 3-pointer by Soo with 24 seconds remaining cut the deficit to four, 64-60, but CPP made four straight free throws to put the game out of reach. The Vikings turned the ball over 17 times in the first half and finished with 28, matching their second highest total of the campaign. Guard Andrea Ohlssen, who entered the game averaging 7.5 points, scored CPP's first nine points as the Broncos took a 9-3 lead in the first 4:20. Western tallied nine of the next 11 points to take a 12-11 advantage with 9:14 left in the period on a 3-pointer by Soo. But CPP responded with nine straight points for a 20-12 lead and ended the half with an 11-4 run to be ahead by 12, 35-23, at the intermission. After the Vikings closed to within seven, 42-35, with 10:37 remaining, CPP had a 13-4 run, Dominguez scoring the last six points, for its biggest lead of 16. Ohlssen finished with 13 points for the Broncos, who also got 12 points from guard Reyana Colson. Porsche Kirksey came off the bench with six points and a team-high eight rebounds as CPP had a 49-39 advantage on the boards. The Broncos shot just 29.2 percent (19-of-65) from the field, converted 28-of-46 free throws (60.9 percent) and had 14 turnovers Western hit 40.9 percent (18-of-44) from the floor and made 22-of-28 free throws (78.6 percent).

Dec. 29 - UC San Diego 79, WESTERN 76 2OT at CCAA/GNAC Crossover Classic

Moehrle came off the bench to score a career and team-high 19 points, hitting crucial baskets at the end of regulation and in the first extra period, but it wasn't enough as Western lost 79-76 in double overtime to nationally ranked and host UC San Diego in final-day action at the CCAA/GNAC Crossover Classic held at La Jolla, Calif. Moehrle, who also grabbed eight rebounds, made 5-of-9 3-pointers for the Vikings. Pallansch contributed 15 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, and Soo had 17 points and five assists. UCSD, ranked No.3 nationally, improved to 10-2. The Tritons were led by the game-high 25 points of guard Meghan Noud, who connected on 5-of-10 3-pointers. Forwards Michelle Osier and Erin Noonan had 14 and 12 points, respectively, and center Alexis Gaskin grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds. Gaskin and Osier each scored layups to open the second overtime and give UCSD a 75-71 lead. Kristin Schramm, who made her first start for Western, hit a 3-pointer to bring the Vikings within one, 75-74, with 2:32 remaining. The Tritons went in front, 78-74, on another layup by Osier and a free throw by Gaskin. But a Soo layup with nine seconds to go kept Western within two, 78-76. UCSD's Alexis Mezzetta, who finished with 10 points, made one of two free throws with six seconds left, and in a bizarre finish that had turnovers by both teams, Soo missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. A Moehrle 3-pointer with 1:11 to go in the first overtime, gave Western a 71-69 lead, but Gaskin tied it with a jumper at 0:54, and Dunbar missed a 3-point try for the win with two seconds remaining. The Vikings trailed by eight points with two minutes left in regulation, but Soo and Moehrle each hit 3-pointers, and Moehrle's layup with 40 seconds to go tied the score at 62-all. UCSD missed two shots and Western one in the final 26 seconds of the second half. Western got out to a 12-4 lead and still led by eight, 23-15, with 8:19 left in the first period before a 14-3 run gave the Tritons a 29-26 lead. The Vikings then scored six straight points to lead 32-29 at halftime. There were 11 lead changes and one tie in the first 16 minutes of the second half before UCSD went on an 11-2 run to take a 62-54 lead with 2:09 to go in regulation. Western had a 51-45 rebound advantage, Wade pulling down 11. The Vikings turned the ball over 25 times to UCSD's 17.