Feb. 17, 2007
Fairbanks, AK - A determined rally by the Alaska Nanooks fell short against Seattle Pacific in a 74-66 Great Northwest Athletic Conference loss at the Patty Center Saturday afternoon. The Nanooks (9-15 overall, 4-9 GNAC) trimmed a 14-point lead with 3:02 on the clock to 68-63 with 42 seconds left but the Falcons (16-7, 9-3) made all their free throws to seal the win.
Toyota Player of the Game Kari Reabold (Fairbanks, AK) scored 20 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for Alaska. The trio of senior Karen Rabung (Nikiski, AK), freshman Caitlyn Rohrbach (Edmonds, WA) and Sarah Herrin (Nikiski, AK) combined for 30 points and 18 rebounds to help the comeback cause. Cristina Bruketta (Ellensburg, WA) chipped in 10 points.
The 6-0 Rabung finished with 11 points and six boards, the 6-0 Rohrbach finished with 11 points and five caroms and the 5-7 Herrin had eight points and seven rebounds against the interior defense of SPU led by 6-2 Kelsey Hill.
Falcon point guard Beth Christensen scored a game-high 22 points, Hill added 13 and six rebounds and the duo of Libby Magnuson and Autumn Fielding had 12 points apiece.
The two teams battled to a 24-24 deadlock at the half but the Falcons came out of the locker room with a purpose. After Alaska opened the half with a Rohrbach bucket, Christensen and Hill combined for an 11-2 run over three minutes to stake SPU to a 35-28 lead with 16:24 left.
The lead stretched to as high as 14, the last on a Fielding three to make it 63-49 with 3:02 to go. The Nanooks then made their run to close the game but Fielding (4-of-4) and Christensen (4-of-4) sealed it in the final minute from the line.
Alaska will stay at home until a Thursday Feb. 22 match-up with Northwest Nazarene. The Nanooks and Crusaders will tip at 7:00 p.m. AST in the Patty Center. Alaska will honor their two seniors, Rabung and Mia Seagraves (Long Beach, CA), on the night of their final home game.
