Box Score WALLA WALLA - No. 4 nationally-ranked Whitman scored the final seven points of overtime Saturday night and escaped with a 68-61 victory over gallant Pacific Lutheran in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Saturday night on George Ball Court at Sherwood Center.

The Missionaries' records edged up to 4-0 in the league and 13-0 overall. Whitman stumbled out of the gate against the upste-minded Lutes, recording just one field goal during the first seven-and-a-half minutes of play - a Tiffani Traver three-pointer at the 19:06 mark. That, coupled with six points from Samantha Potter, helped PLU fashion a 9-3 lead.

The Missionaries shook off the rust with a 9-0 run over a two minute, 47-second span. Two points apiece from Chelsi Brewer, Heather Johns, Alysse Ketner and Meghan White contributed to a 12-9 Whitman edge with 10:01 left in the opening act. But the Lutes would end the half in strong fashion with 20 points compared to just nin for the ice-cold Missionaries, and take an eight-point lead, 29-21, into intermission. Seven points from Shelly Kilcup and a half-dozen more from Potter paced the PLU charge over the final 10 minutes.

The Lutes ended the half with a 44-percent showing (12 of 27) from the floor while Whitman connected on just 28 percent (8 of 29) of its field goal tries. Pacific Lutheran grew its advantage to 12 by the 18:20 mark of the second half before the Missionaries battled their way back with an 8-0 run over the next three-plus minutes. Four points from Johns and a spurt-ending trey from Traver at the 15:05 mark were key.

Whitman completed its rally on a Johns drive with 8:09 remaining that evened the score at 46-46. Ketner put the Missionaries in front 48-46 on a putback with 7:12 remaining. But the Lutes scored the next seven points, the latter three on a Kilcup trey with 5:32 to go, that producedd a 53-48 PLU lead.

With the visitors up 55-50, Whitman tallied six points in succession to reclaim the upper hand. Two free throws by Johns with 2:59 on the clock made it 56-55. Chrissy Swope drained a two-point bucket from the top of the key with 1:12 remaining to give the edge back to the Lutes, 57-56.

Traver brough the Missionaries even at 57-57 on a freebie with 59.4 seconds left. Each time had a chance for conquest in the final minute, but were unable to convert, Whitman had three shots on its final possession of regulation, including a left-handed layin attempt by Sarah Anderegg, that agonizingly bounced off the rim.

The teams exchanged four-point runs to begin the extra frame before the Missionaries ended the contest on a 7-0 surge over the final 1:33. Hailey Ann Maeda followed a miss to commence the run, Anderegg sank a jumper to the right of the top of the key with 32.6 seconds to go, and three charity tosses in the last 15.7 seconds ended the scoring.

Johns led Whitman with 18 points while Anderegg posted a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Whitman takes to the road next weekend for NWC games at Linfield on Friday against George Fox Saturday.