Walla Walla, Wash.  On a night when Casey Poe was honored prior to the game for reaching the 1,000 career point milestone earlier this season while on the road, the senior led the charge Saturday against Pacific Lutheran University by scoring a team high 19 points and the Blues were able to hold off the Lutes, 69-63, for their 18th consecutive victory of the season.

From the first whistle at the Sherwood Athletic Center, both teams were in for a fight as the game was a physical contest from the outset. Whitman found itself in early foul trouble and that forced the Blues -- ranked No. 4 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll, and sixth in the D3hoops.com rankings -- to adjust their game plan.

With Makana Stone picking up two fouls in the first three and a half minutes of the contest, the team struggled to generate rhythm offensively as they combined to go 11-for-25 from the field and just 1-9 from three in the first half.

Fortunately, Maegen Martin was able to rise up and have arguably her best game of the year on a night where she was needed.

Martin had a season high 18 points to pair with nine rebounds in helping Whitman (17-1, 9-0 NWC) stay in the contest despite some of its shooting woes. Martin and Poe combined for 18 of the 30 points for the team in the first half and found themselves in an ongoing battle that saw neither team lead by more than four points through the first 20 minutes of play.

After more back and forth early in the third quarter, the Blues finally captured some momentum.

With the score sitting at 38-37, Stone made her presence felt in helping key a 14-2 run, including multiple passes that set up her teammates with an opportunity to get to the foul line and knock down some free throws, extending the lead to a game high 13 points.

Just as it seemed the game was getting out of reach, PLU (5-14, 1-9 NWC) went on a 14-4 run of its own to cut the Blues' lead to just three points on the shoulders of Kristin Sturdivan, who had two threes during the stretch and scored a game high 23 points.

The run finally came to an end after Kaelan Shamseldin, who had taken only one shot in the contest at that point, caught a cross-court pass from Poe and buried the trey to give the Blues a six point advantage.

On the ensuing possession, Shamseldin  was able to steal the ball from Emma Janousek, and after an outlet pass from Taylor Chambers got it back to her on the other end, buried another three and extended Whitman's lead 64-55.

The Blues managed just five points over the final 5:57 in the contest, all free throws, but played enough defense down the stretch to hold off the Lutes and secure the victory.

Emily Rommel finished with 10 points and added five rebounds to join Poe and Martin as the only three in double-figures in the contest.

Stone matched Rommel's five boards and chipped in four points and two assists in the win.

The Blues managed a 10-0 advantage in blocks in the contest as Poe had three, Sierra McGarity and Lily Gustafson each had two while Martin, Rommel, and Shamseldin each had one.

Whitman takes to the road next for a four-game stretch that begins Friday at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.