LACEY, WA — Saint Martins Women's Basketball (10-5, 3-4 GNAC) hosted Western Oregon over the weekend to close out the third week of GNAC play.

The Saints would begin the contest on the back foot as the Wolves came out with the hot hand and first points, jumping out to an 11-7 lead after the first quarter in what would prove to be a tough contest. SMU would see more production on the scoring front in the second period, with Kiana Rios continuing her streak of impressive offensive performances this season. Rios would be the team's leading scorer with 23 points, six boards, and two assists in a notably gritty performance. Western Oregon would also find their stride on offense, however, and would match Saint Martin's efforts through the half and take a 26-21 lead going into halftime

SMU's offense would come alive in the second half of the game, overcoming a five-point deficit with a string of free throws by Rios, Sarah Lamet, and Avery Oaster. The pair of Lamet and Oaster would combine for nine rebounds and seven points during the game as the main defenders near the paint. The Saints would continue the close battle with the Wolves throughout the third quarter and were tied at 44 at the end of the period. Kasey Booster would spark the offense to start the fourth quarter with a key three-pointer followed by a multitude of baskets by Iternite Reed and Madelyn Brown. Booster would finish the game with ten points and three rebounds. Defensively, the Saints were able to limit the Wolves' scoring opportunities with major rebounds throughout the fourth quarter. The Saints' offense capitalized on scoring opportunities throughout the final ten minutes, ultimately securing a 59-53 win against the Wolves to move up in the GNAC rankings.

The team's grit stood out to Head Coach Natalie Marlowe in the win, as she said the following regarding Saturday's contest:

"We overcame a rough first half by digging in and committing to details in the second half to finish things off. Kiana Rios is as tough as they come. For her to take the blow to the face she did, she came back determined to finish the job. Kasey Booster and Iternite Reed knocked down some big shots for us. When we lock in and are disciplined on defense, we're a hard team to beat."

SMU Women's Basketball will be hosting two home games this week, including the annual Pack the Pav double-header event, which will be taking place on Thursday, January 23rd as both basketball teams take on the Central Washington Wildcats. You can get tickets for the games here and secure your spot for the Warming Up With The Saints tailgate that begins at 4:15 PM.