Lady Vikings stumble, fall
Big Bend guard Sarah Smith (32) splits the Walla Walla defense during the first half of the Vikings' 72-56 loss at home Saturday evening. Photo by Miles Douglass/Columbia Basin Herald
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Lady Vikings shot their way to a 38-36 halftime advantage, but couldn’t hold on down the stretch as the Sasquatch from Spokane rolled to the 85-73 victory.
The loss dropped the Lady Vikings to 3-5 in Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges East Division play and 13-8 overall.
The Lady Vikings controlled the game early and stormed their way to the halftime lead thanks in part to sharp shooting of Megan Howerton and Angela Fales. Howerton finished the night 5-for-7 from behind the 3-point line for all of her 15 points and Fales finished 3-for-4 from behind the arc for nine of her 10 points Wednesday night.
Although the Lady Vikings stayed in the game early because of their field goal shooting, it was Big Bend’s inability to protect the basketball in the second half which ultimately doomed the Lady Vikings.
The Lady Vikings committed an uncharacteristic 27 turnovers Wednesday night which the Sasquatch converted into 34 points. The Lady Vikings scored just 16 points off of 16 Spokane turnovers in the loss.
Big Bend forward Tayler Anderson finished the night 7-for-9 from the field as Anderson and Howerton each finished with a team-high 15 points. Fales and Lacey Nordby each added 10 points for the Lady Vikings as Big Bend finished with four players in double figures.
The Lady Vikings return to the court Saturday when they travel to Yakima Valley to take on the Lady Yaks at 2 p.m.