SEATTLE, Wash. ? Rebecca Kielpinski posted game-highs of 16 points and eight rebounds, but host Seattle Pacific made the big plays down the stretch to earn a 58-55 women's basketball win over Alaska Anchorage in a battle between the two preseason favorites in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
SPU (13-0, 4-0 GNAC), ranked No. 6 in NCAA Div. II, was led by 15 points from guard Jackie Hollands and 13 points apiece from forward Libby Magnuson and center Kelsey Hill.
The Seawolves (14-2, 3-1), No. 7 in D-II, got 10 points each from guard Kalhie Quinones and center Dasha Basova as they built a 33-23 halftime lead. UAA outshot the hosts 48.3 percent to 26.1 percent in the first 20 minutes.
Quinones sank a jumper off a pass from Kielpinski to give UAA a 44-33 advantage with 14:45 remaining, but the Seawolves wouldn't score again for four minutes and SPU took the lead, 49-47, on a Hollands three-pointer with 8:15 left.
A basket by Ashley Thompson briefly gave UAA to lead again at 50-49 before the Falcons took over for good on a put-back by Melissa Reich at the 5-minute mark.
UAA sliced its deficit to 56-55 on a driving layup by Quinones with 9 seconds to play, and Magnuson coolly nailed a pair of free throws two seconds later.
Quinones had the final shot to tie with a three-pointer from the corner, but the senior came up short.
Kielpinski, UAA's junior All-America candidate, shot 7 of 9 from the floor, while the rest of the Seawolf starters combined to shoot just 8 of 32. Senior guard Jennifer Salazar dished a game-high five assists.
UAA is now 1-16 all-time at Royal Brougham Pavilion, including a current streak of eight straight losses.
The Seawolves return home for games next week against Saint Martin's (Thu., Jan. 17, 5:30 p.m.) and Western Oregon (Sat., Jan. 19, 5 p.m.) at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.
