SALEM, OR. (Nov 12, 2023)- After defeating Lewis and Clark yesterday, Whittier continued their Oregon road trip against Willamette University. In this hard-fought game, both teams battled against each other but the Bearcats were eventually able to hold onto a 55-52 victory over the Poets.

The first quarter was a slow start for the Poets as they were only able to put 6 points up on the board against a tough Bearcats defense. Whittier was just not clicking yet and trailed Willamette 17-6 at the end of the first. 

The second was better for the Poets, but they still had a lot of room to make up. Rhe Nae Leach (Riverside, Calif., John W. North HS) went on a roll this quarter scoring 9 points on her own, but as the horn sounded for halftime the Bearcats still had a 32-20 lead. 

In the second half Whittier tightened up their defense and went on to win both quarters. Leach continued to dominate, however the Bearcats were not going away. With the help of her teammates, Leach was able to take advantage of scoring chances and found the open player when the defense crashed on her. The Poets had cut the Bearcats lead to 7. 

Going into the final period, Whittier would need to make a big run to earn this victory. The Poets stiff defense really showed up this period only allowing 8 total points to the Bearcats. Alongside Leach, LuLu Salloom tried to will Whittier back into this game, but Willamette's lead was too much to cut. As the final horn sounded, the Bearcats defeated the Poets 55-52. 

Leach was an absolute dominance force on both sides of the court today, as she finished with 31 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 4 steals on 39 minutes. Salloom was a beast on the boards today finishing with 13 rebounds while scoring 7 points. The Poets will return home for a quick break before they hit the road again to take on the University of Southern Maine on November 17th.