Box Score
By Roy Elia

WALLA WALLA - Balance can often be a key component to the success of any team that competes in the athletic arena.

The No. 3 nationally-ranked and Northwest Conference-leading Whitman Missionaries displayed that trait Saturday night in women's collegiate basketball action on George Ball Court at Sherwood Center.

"We played like ourselves and that was important." Said Coach Michelle Ferenz.

Whitman placed four players in double figures, led by the 15 points of guard Heather Johns (Jr., W. Richland, Wash./Southridge), and had 11 competitors break into the scoring column during a 78-33 victory over Willamette.

The Missionaries improved to 10-0 in league and 19-0 overall while the injury-riddled Bearcats, who suited up just eight players for the contest, slipped to 1-9 and 3-16.

Whitman built a 7-2 lead before four-and-a-half minutes had elapsed after the opening tip. Johns scored the team's first five points and Hailey Ann Maeda (So., Kailua, HI/Punahou School) contributed a jumper. The latter points were tallied at the 15:39 mark of half one.

The Missionaries twice extended their edge to six - 11-5 on a Tiffani Traver (Sr., Oregon City, Ore.) drive with 14:37 remaining and 13-7 on a jumper by Hailey Mcdonald (So., Portland, Ore./Lincoln) at the 14:04 mark.

Almost eight minutes would run off the clock before Whitman added to its point total, but Willamette was unable to take advantage. The Bearcats managed just three points during the Missionary cold spell and trailed by three, 13-10, with 11:04 left.

Whitman regained control of the game with a 16-2 surge over the last 7:16 of the half.

Traver commenced the onslaught with a three-point field goal, Sarah Anderegg (Sr., Redmond, Wash./Interlake) scored on a back-door cut, and Johns ended a seven-point, 46-second surge with a jumper that put the Missionaries up by 10, 20-10, at the 6:35 mark.

The Missionaries stretched their lead to 14, 24-10, 2:39 before halftime. Johns tallied on a drive with 3:37 to go and Maeda put down a transition bucket just over a minute later.

In the final 1:31, Mcdonald drained a trey and a two-pointer and Whitman went into intermission with a 17-point cushion, 29-12.

Johns and Mcdonald scored nine points apiece in half one to lead the Missionaries.

Defensively, Whitman held the Bearcats to four first-half field goals and none in the final 11 minutes and change.

"Defensively, we needed to play better than we did (Friday) night. We needed to be better and I thought we were." Said Coach Ferenz.

Whitman opened the second half on a 15-0 run. Four points each by Johns and Meghan White (Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif.) helped the Missionaries run their margin to 32, 44-12, with 14:48 on the clock.

The spread widened past the 40-point plateau in the final two minutes and reached 45, 76-31, on a driving scoop shot by Chelsi Brewer (Fr., Oregon City, Ore.) and advanced to 47, 78-31, on a Gabby McGann (Fr., San Clemente, Calif.) layin.

Traver added 13 points to the Missionary offense, Mcdonald scored 11, and Anderegg ended up with 10. Traver and Mcdonald were both 5-for-7 from the field.

Whitman puts its unblemished records on the line next weekend when it travels to Tacoma for league games with Pacific Lutheran on Friday and Puget Sound on Saturday.