SEATTLE, Wash. (Nov. 15) -- Senior Jessica VanDyke finished with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the Central Washington University women's basketball team fell to Point Loma Nazarene University, 74-62, in the opening game of the Sodexo Tip-Off Classic hosted by Seattle Pacific University on Friday afternoon.
 
The Wildcats fell to 0-1 on the season, while Point Loma, a second-year provisional member of the NCAA Division II from San Diego, Calif., won its season opener.
 
VanDyke, a 5-foot-9 guard, posted her eighth career double-double. She had 13 of her points in the first half, making 5 of 7 shot attempts before the break as the Wildcats led for more than 12 minutes in the opening period but trailed 35-33 at halftime. VanDyke finished the game at 7 of 13 shooting.
 
Point Loma hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half to take the two-point lead at the break, but the Wildcats scored the opening points of the second period on a three-pointer by senior Ally Schmitt (Snohomish, Wash.) and CWU did not trail again until the 16:54 mark remaining. However, that lead change was part of a 7-0 run for the Sea Lions -- and an overall 20-3 spurt -- as Point Loma pushed its lead to double digits at 60-47 with 8:23 left. The margin remained in double figures the rest of the way.
 
CWU finished the game shooting 40.4 percent from the floor, including a 41.9 percent efficiency in the first half. The Wildcats also held a 45-35 edge in rebounding over the Sea Lions, but turnovers again proved to be problematic for CWU, as they committed 20 with just nine assists. Point Loma had 16 assists to eight turnovers, led by an eight-assist (and 20-point) outing from Savannah Erskine.
 
Junior Courtney Johnson (Kent, Wash./Kentwood HS) finished with 12 points off the bench for the Wildcats, while senior Amber Moser (Willamina, Ore./Sheridan HS) finished with 10 points and six rebounds. No other CWU player had more than five points in the game.
 
In addition to Erskine's 20 points, Point Loma had three other players reach double figures. Jessica Escorza totaled 13 points, while Callie Rhoads added 11 and Erin Anderson totaled 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds off the bench.
 
CWU will wrap up its opening weekend at the tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m., facing NAIA member Montana Tech. The Wildcats then make their home debut next Saturday (Nov. 23) against Quest University (B.C.).
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Sodexo Tip-Off Classic
Friday, November 15, 2013
Brougham Pavilion / Seattle, Wash.
 
Point Loma 74, Central Washington 62
 
CENTRAL WASHINGTON (0-1)
Jessica VanDyke 7-13 2-2 20; Courtney Johnson 3-10 5-6 12; Amber Moser 3-6 4-6 10; Ally Schmitt 2-4 0-1 5; Jasmine Parker 1-2 2-2 4; Erika Locker 2-3 0-0 4; Melanie Valdez 1-3 0-0 3; Daisy Burke 1-3 0-0 2; Chantel Heath 1-4 0-0 2; India Matheson 0-1 0-0 0; Nina Caldwell 0-0 0-0 0; Angela Woods 0-3 0-0 0; Hannah Shine 0-0 0-0 0; Mollie Kramer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 13-17 62.
 
POINT LOMA (1-0)
Savannah Erskine 8-14 0-0 20; Jessica Escorza 3-10 7-9 13; Erin Andersen 4-10 4-6 12; Callie Rhoads 2-7 6-7 11; Carlotta Kloppenburg 2-5 0-0 6; Abby Boorman 3-6 0-1 6; Kiley Berlinski 1-5 0-0 3; Madison West 1-2 0-0 2; Anna Viettry 0-1 1-2 1; Jessica Johnson 0-1 0-0 0; Jordan Ligons 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 24-65 18-25 74.
 
Central Washington           33           29           -- 62
Point Loma Nazarene       35           39           -- 74               
 
3-point goals--Central Washington 7-21 (VanDyke 4-7; Valdez 1-2; Schmitt 1-1; Johnson 1-3; Burke 0-2; Heath 0-2; Woods 0-3; Locker 0-1), Point Loma 8-22 (Erskine 4-7; Kloppenburg 2-5; Berlinski 1-3; Rhoads 1-3; West 0-1; Andersen 0-1; Escorza 0-2). Fouled out--Central Washington-Parker, Point Loma-None. Rebounds--Central Washington 45 (VanDyke 10), Point Loma 34 (Andersen 8). Assists--Central Washington 9 (Schmitt 3; Moser 3), Point Loma 16 (Erskine 8). Total fouls--Central Washington 18, Point Loma 19. Technical fouls--Central Washington-None, Point Loma-None. Att--125.