SALEM, Ore.  Whitman's 25th-ranked women's basketball team held host Willamette University to 24 points below its season average in downing the Bearcats, 61-46, in the Northwest Conference opener for a pair of teams that had entered the night with unblemished records.

Alysse Ketner's 15 points led all scorers but three other Blues (6-0, 1-0 NWC) reached double figures, including Emily Rommel who closed her night with a double-double after coming down with 12 rebounds to match her 12 points. Willamette (5-1, 0-1) was paced by Marisa Hamilton who notched 13 points, the Bearcats' only player to reach double-digits in scoring.

Whitman hoped to accomplish two things right from the opening tip Friday: limit the potential damage Willamette could impart from beyond the 3-point line, and get off to a fast start themselves.

Coming into the night the Bearcats had been averaging 70 points a game and 12 treys per contest. The Blues defense continually stepped out to pressure dangerous shooters at long-range depth, while also working off the ball to prevent the easy pass from a more open court. By the time the final horn sounded Willamette had dropped in but five treys, pulled down only nine offensive rebounds, and accumulated just five second-chance points.

Rommel's 12 boards helped lead Whitman to a final rebounding margin of 43-29. The Blues were so strong around the rim that the Bearcats weren't credited with their first offensive board until 4 minutes and 22 seconds remained in the second quarter. And even that rebound was a team rebound after a Whitman player actually came down with the ball just over the end line.

Credit that as one mission accomplished.

The fast start may have even been more than what head coach Michelle Ferenz had been looking for.

Whitman scored the opening 12 points in the game, though the Bearcats would eventually trim that deficit to eight, at the end of the first quarter, end then built on its leads throughout the contest. By halftime the advantage was nine, after the third it was 10, and -- after limiting Willamette to just 2-for-12 shooting in the fourth -- finally to a 15 point edge.

Another facet of the game that doesn't usually match up with pressure defense was the number of fouls assessed against Whitman. The Blues were so clean with their pressure that the Bearcats' first trip to the free-throw line as at the 5:25 mark…of the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Whitman improved on its season average, around 60 percet, to shoot 11-of-14 (79 percent) from the stripe, with Rommel pouring in all six of her attempts.

Joining Ketner and Rommel in double figures were Casey Poe (11 points) and Chelsi Brewer (10) who was 2-for-2 from long range, including a trey that broke Willamette's back soon after it had closed to 43-36 during the third quarter.

Whitman puts its unbeaten mark and national ranking on the line Tuesday against visiting Whitworth University in a 6 p.m. tip off at the Sherwood Athletic Center.