Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. — With a determined team effort, the Crusaders accomplished a rare first Thursday night: A season sweep of perennial powerhouse Seattle Pacific.

A Taylor Simmons 3-point play midway through the first quarter gave Northwest Nazarene its first lead of the night as the Crusaders led by as many as 11 points and held off a comeback charge by the Falcons for a 64-58 road win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball.

"It was a great team win for us," said women's assistant basketball coach John Hartman, filling in for head coach Ryan Bragdon who was unavailable for comment.

"Our defense played really well, and we had great energy, too."

That energy helped NNU (7-10 overall, 5-6 GNAC) put together an 11-0 run in the opening quarter, a charge sparked by a Lexi Tubbs bucket 3 minutes into the game, and capped by an Ellie Logan deuce that made the score 13-6 in favor of NNU with a minute left in the session.

The Falcons, beaten by NNU 66-65 in Nampa, Idaho, back on January 2, managed to tie the game at 13-13 early in the second quarter, but a 10-1 run put NNU back in control, on top 23-14 after a Danielle Jardine layup.

A Kelli Christenson 3-pointer sent the Crusaders into the break ahead, 32-21.

Time and time again SPU (6-12, 3-8) whittled the lead down to a 3-point difference, but time and time again NNU responded, the final threat staved off in part by a Cierra White putback and a couple of steals by the senior guard.

"Cierra was huge for us in the last three minutes, she had some rebounds that if she didn't get, we don't win," Hartman said.

White finished with four points, four rebounds and two steals in the win for NNU, which was led by Logan with 18 points in the victory.

"Ellie had a big game and it was good to see Lexi play her best game of the season," Hartman added.

Tubbs and Simmons each finished with 11 points for NNU, which also got eight points and nine rebounds from Danielle Jardine in the victory.

The Crusaders, who have now won back-to-back road games for the first time this season, go for a third straight away from the Johnson Sports Center when they play at St. Martin's on Saturday night.