Whitman Women's BB Hosts Warner Pacific at 2 pm Saturday

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Once they get through this week's final exams, members of the Whitman College women's basketball team can turn their full attention to Saturday's non-conference home against Portland's Warner Pacific.

The game, which starts at 2 p.m. on George Ball Court, is the final home date of the calendar year for the Missionaries.

Whitman leaves after the game for Lewiston, Idaho, where it plays Lewis-Clark State at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Warriors, who edged Whitman 65-61 last month in Walla Walla, are No. 4 in the latest NAIA Division I national rankings.

Following a two-week break for the holidays, the Missionary women return home for a final non-conference home game on Monday, Jan. 2. Whitman then resumes Northwest Conference play that weekend with a pair of games in Tacoma, Wash.

Whitman, 3-5 on the season, can expect a stiff challenge from NAIA Division II Warner Pacific on Saturday. The Knights, 4-5 to start their season, were picked second in the Cascade Collegiate Conference preseason coaches poll.

Before coming to Walla Walla, Warner Pacific ends a 10-day layoff when its plays Walla Walla University Friday night in College Place. In their most recent game, the Knights dropped a 53-52 decision to Lewis & Clark, one of Whitman's NWC rivals.

Heather Lovelace flips shot at hoop

Whitman hosted Lewis & Clark earlier this month, jumping to a 21-10 lead before running into foul trouble and watching the Pioneers rally for a 10-point win.

Senior point guard Jenele Peterson leads Whitman in scoring thus far this season at 12.6 points per game. She also averages 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 steals.

Next in line as part of a balanced Whitman attack is sophomore guard Tiffani Traver, who averages 7.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals.  

Six-foot sophomore Meghan White, who grabbed 26 rebounds in last weekend's two victories, tops the team in rebounding at 7.9 per game. She also averages 5.9 points.

Other key contributors include juniors Kelly Peterson (6.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Mary Madden (6.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Sophomore Sarah Anderegg and first-year teammate Heather Lovelace, who both average 7.0 points per game, give the Missionaries more scoring inside.

Senior wing Anna Forge, who averages 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 points, has blocked 13 shots in eight games, which ranks her second in the NWC. Senior Jennifer Keyes (4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg) leads the team in 3-point baskets with 10.

Junior guard Shiann Dreadfulwater, in her first season with Whitman after two years at Walla Walla Community College, had her best game as a Missionary last Friday with nine points and four assists in 20 minutes of playing time.

Warner Pacific Knights

Whitman and Warner Pacific last played in November of 2006 with the Missionaries posting a 48-42 victory in Portland.

The Knights have three guards scoring in double figures this season in 5-foot-9 senior Kelsey Mattsen (13.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 5-foot-9 junior Chelsey Christensen (10.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), and 5-foot-7 Cameryn Calhoun 10.4 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.4 rpg).

Meaghen White, a 6-foot-2 junior, leads the team in rebounding at 6.0 boards per game. She also averages 7.0 points an outing.

Others in the rotation include two guards who were teammates previously with Whitman's Dreadfulwater at Walla Walla CC. Layne Tucker, a 5-foot-6 senior, is averaging 6.9 points and 3.7 rebounds while Morgan Wolf, a 5-foot-8 junior, contributes 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Nicole Jackson, a 5-foot-9 junior guard, leads the team in assists at 5.5 per game while averaging 5.7 points.

Lewis-Clark State Warriors

When Sunday's game tips off at 2 p.m., Whitman fans can click here to follow the action via live stats, radio or webcam, as provided by the host school.

In last month's game in Sherwood Center, Whitman held a one-point lead over LCSC at halftime and was still up by one point with 90 seconds left in the game.

The Warriors hit six straight free throws down the stretch to erase Whitman's last lead and build a 63-58 advantage. Jenele Peterson drilled a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left, trimming the Missionary deficit to 63-61.

But LCSC's Brittany Niebergall, fouled after getting the ensuing inbounds pass, made both free throws to clinch the victory.

Peterson paced Whitman with 21 points. Junior Mary Madden added 10 rebounds and six points while first-year center Meghan White added nine rebounds and eight points. Sophomore Sarah Anderegg chipped in with eight points.

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu