WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Hilary White tallied 22 points and three of her teammates also scored in double figures as Whitman College ran its season-opening record to 8-0 with an 80-74 victory over Eastern Oregon University Friday evening in La Grande.

Hilary White

Ahead 37-27 at halftime, Whitman led by as many as 13 points, 55-42, midway through the second stanza. The Mounties, who saw their record fall to 5-3, drew no closer than five points in the closing minutes, and got a 3-pointer from Ashlee Michelson with five seconds left to trim the final margin.

White, who hit four of six shots from the 3-point line, also had five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Michelle Krall added 16 points and seven boards. Jenele Peterson had 13 points while Anna Forge came off the bench for 12 points and seven boards. Rebecca Sexton made four of five shots from the floor, good for eight points, and picked off four rebounds. 

Eastern Oregon took its last lead of the night when Jenny Fiso's 3-pointer with 11:33 left in the first half gave the Mounties a 21-19 edge. But Whitman finished the half on an 18-6 run, limiting the home team's offense to just six free throws. Meanwhile, Peterson hit a pair of 3-pointers, Krall finished a three-point play in the paint and added two more free throws, and Ellen Vertatschitsch chipped in with two baskets.

Ellen  Vertatschitsch

Eastern Oregon tallied the first two points of the second half, but White countered with a 3-pointer at the other end. After the Mounties pulled to within 44-40, White answered with another long ball at the 15:58 mark. 

Eastern Oregon got the next basket to stay close, but White stayed hot for Whitman, connecting on the next three Missionary baskets, one of them a 3-pointer, to push the lead to 54-42 with 11:34 left to play. 

The Mounties, who made 10 of 18 3-pointers on the night, drilled two in the final 90 seconds to keep the final score close. For Whitman, Forge made four free throws and Peterson had two more during that closing stretch.  

As a team, Whitman made 17 of 19 free throws and forced the Mounties into 21 turnovers. 

Whitman concludes its non-conference schedule when it hosts College of Idaho at 6 p.m. Saturday at Sherwood Center.

Box Score 

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu