Nampa, ID – The NNU Women's Basketball team competed at home on Friday the 22nd against the Western Washington Wolves. With an impressive performance put forward by the Nighthawks they took the win, 65-33.
The win moves NNU to 10-6 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
Northwest Nazarene came out firing to open the first quarter, setting the tone immediately with a layup from Allie Hueckman on the opening possession. The Nighthawks followed with strong defensive pressure and activity on the glass, creating multiple second-chance opportunities early. Kendall Clark was relentless on the boards, extending possessions with offensive rebounds, while NNU pushed the pace offensively. Beaux Bruegman knocked down a key three midway through the quarter, and Hueckman added a pair of timely triples to keep the momentum rolling. Kelly Garrity and Claire Fischer contributed inside, with Fischer finishing through traffic on a layup and a putback. The Nighthawks built a comfortable lead by the end of the opening ten minutes going into the second up, 21-9.
NNU relied on steady defense and rebounding throughout the quarter, working through a few missed looks while continuing to control possessions. Jené Wells added a pull-up jumper to spark the offense, and Rylie Edlefsen later connected from deep to maintain momentum. Defensive pressure picked up late, with Trinidie Nichols and Kelly Garrity forcing turnovers before Hadley Craig closed the quarter with a steal, finishing a strong defensive stretch for the Nighthawks. The teams hit the locker rooms with NNU leading 31-15.
The teams saw a physical start to the third quarter, trading defensive stops as both teams battled on the glass. Beaux Bruegman got the Nighthawks going with a three early in the period, followed by a steady scoring stretch from Rylie Edlefsen and Trinidie Nichols to keep NNU in control. As the quarter progressed, the Nighthawks leaned on strong interior defense and rebounding, with Kelly Garrity and Claire Fischer making key plays on both ends. NNU continued to pressure defensively, forcing turnovers and limiting clean looks, while timely buckets from Nichols, Fischer, and Kendall Clark helped the Nighthawks maintain momentum heading into the final minutes of the quarter up, 52-23.
In the final quarter, Northwest Nazarene stayed aggressive, battling on the boards and forcing turnovers to disrupt Western Oregon's rhythm. Hadley Craig, Claire Fischer, and Kelly Garrity anchored the defense, while Beaux Bruegman, Sadi Clemons, and Rylie Edlefsen provided key scoring with timely threes and drives. Despite some missed opportunities, the Nighthawks maintained energy and pressure throughout, finishing the game with strong hustle and effort that showcased their determination to compete until the final buzzer, winning 65-33.
Rylie Edlefsen led NNU with 12 points followed by Claire Fischer and Beaux Bruegman who each added 9.
The Nighthawks will be back in the Johnson Sports Center on Saturday the 24th to compete against Saint Martin's at 5:15 pm.
