LEWISTON, Idaho – Junior post Kirsi Voshell had a double-double and helped Lewis-Clark State College grab 17 offensive rebounds in the second half to help the 11th ranked Warriors defeat No. 13 Biola 61-52 in a defensive battle of NAIA Top 25 women’s basketball teams during the opening round of the Twin Rivers Physical Therapy Classic at the LCSC Activity Center on Friday night.
The 6-foot-3 Voshell finished with 13 points and 15 boards for her second straight double-double and the fifth of her career. She had 10 points and 12 boards in a 68-37 win over Cal Maritime Academy last week.
Voshell grabbed seven offensive rebounds in the second half to help the Warriors outscore the Eagles 28-20 in the paint. Voshell also added two blocks, three steals and an assist.
The contest matched two defensive teams that never really allowed either offense to get rolling. LCSC held Biola to 17-of-62 from the field for 27.4 percent, but the Warrior were only 20-of-64 for 31.3 percent. LCSC also was just 1-of-11 from the 3-point line.
“On both sides, it was a defensive war,” LCSC coach Brian Orr said. “I think the difference in the game was the second half and getting on the offensive boards. Kirsi was just unbelievable.”
The Warriors got off to a great start with leads of 6-0 and 10-1, but then went cold from the field and scored only five points over the next nine minutes. That allowed Biola to go on a 19-5 run and take its biggest lead of the first half at 20-15.
Jasmine Stohr got the Warrior offense back in gear with a 3-pointer and senior guard Kenna Reiter added a steal and a bucket to spark a 10-0 Warrior run and a 25-20 lead. LCSC then settled for a 30-27 advantage at halftime.
LCSC led the entire second half and went up by 10 at 41-31, but Biola fought back and cut the margin to four points at 43-39, but couldn’t get closer.
Stohr, Voshell and Alyssa Fierro all had 13 points for LCSC, while Reiter had 11. Reiter also had seven board, four steals and three assists, while Stohr had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
In all, LCSC had 16 steals and forced 23 turnovers in the game, while Biola’s defense had 11 steals and forced 18 turnovers.
Jessilyn Conicelli had a big game for the Eagles with game-highs of 14 points and 17 rebounds. She also had four assists and two steals, but committed eight turnovers.
LCSC is now 5-0 with the win, while Biola is 3-1.
In Friday’s other contest, V.V. Vasciunaite scored 17 of her game-high 22 point in the first half to help California Baptist get off to a hot start and roll past Oregon Tech 90-65.
Saturday’s pre-determined schedule has Biola and Oregon Tech meeting at 2 p.m., followed by Cal Baptist and LCSC at 4 p.m.
