Edmonds women's hoops drops both road contests in Eastern Washington

MOSES LAKE & SPOKANE, Wash. — Edmonds (1-2) lost both of their road contests in Eastern Washington on Friday and Saturday to Big Bend (5-0) and Spokane (2-0). Friday's final in Moses Lake was 71-38; Saturday's final in Spokane was 80-46.

Big Bend Game Recap

Big Bend dominated with a 52-14 advantage in rebounds and a 23-7 edge in points off turnovers.

Edmonds briefly took the lead at 9:04 with a 3-pointer from Kiana Hoolulu, assisted by Hailey Mata, making it 3-2. However, the Vikings quickly regained control, with Oaklie Jackman scoring four consecutive points, including two free throws and a layup, extending the lead to 6-3. The Tritons struggled offensively, committing seven turnovers, while Big Bend capitalized on their opportunities, extending their advantage to 23-12 by the end of the first quarter. Oakley Homer added a 3-pointer at 2:20, and Mallory Henrie contributed a layup at 1:55, helping Big Bend to a commanding 11-point lead.

Jocelyn Tamayo initiated the scoring for the Tritons in the second quarter with a 3-pointer at 9:24, narrowing the gap to 23-15. Edmonds continued to press, with Sade Oyebiyi contributing a jumper at 8:10, assisted by Tamayo. The Vikings responded with a layup from Oaklie Jackman at 6:30, assisted by Brooke Warren, extending their lead. Warren further cemented Big Bend's advantage with a 3-pointer at 3:33. Both teams ended the quarter evenly with 11 points each, with Henrie scoring the final layup for Big Bend, bringing the score to 34-23.

Big Bend maintained their lead over Edmonds during the third quarter, despite a late surge by the visiting team. Ava Uusitalo initiated the scoring with a layup for Edmonds at 9:50, cutting into Big Bend's lead. However, the Vikings responded with a layup from Jackman at 5:33 and a 3-pointer from Homer at 4:45, which extended their advantage. Edmonds rallied with a 3-pointer by Payton Fleishman at 1:28 and another by Uusitalo with 29 seconds remaining. Despite these efforts, Big Bend held a substantial 43-31 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Vikings dominated the fourth quarter with a strong offensive showing, securing a decisive victory. Homer led the charge early with a 3-pointer at 9:30, extending Big Bend's lead. Claire Cox contributed both defensively with a block and offensively with a layup at 1:06, maintaining the team's momentum. Edmonds struggled to keep up as Big Bend's Brooke Warren and Jackman added crucial points, culminating in a 71-38 win. 

Ava Uusitalo had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Kiana Hoolulu contributed 10 points and 2 steals.

Spokane Game Recap

The hosts dominated the boards with a 47-26 rebounding advantage and converting 30 points off turnovers. Spokane's defense played a pivotal role, forcing 29 turnovers from Edmonds.

Edmonds and Spokane began their matchup with Spokane taking an early lead. Alahondra Perez contributed significantly for Spokane, scoring four points in quick succession, including a layup at 8:43 assisted by Camia Howard. Payton Fleishman kept Edmonds competitive with a layup at 8:32, reducing the deficit to two points. Spokane, however, continued to extend their lead with a 3-pointer by Ayeris Jones at 5:28, assisted by Perez, increasing their advantage to 13-5. The quarter concluded with Spokane holding a 14-7 lead, capitalizing on Edmonds' turnovers and maintaining control throughout the quarter.

Spokane extended their lead in the second quarter, going on a scoring run that widened the gap to 20 points with just 52 seconds remaining. Camia Howard was instrumental, contributing multiple layups, while Perez added a 3-pointer early in the quarter. Despite efforts from Edmonds, including two 3-pointers from Hailey Mata, Spokane's defense held strong with five steals. Ava Uusitalo scored a late layup and free throw for the Tritons, but Spokane finished the quarter with a commanding 43-24 lead.

In the third quarter, Spokane extended their lead over Edmonds, fueled by a strong defensive presence and effective scoring in the paint. Karis Santucci led Spokane's efforts with multiple layups, including one at 6:54 to push the score to 50-29. Edmonds struggled with turnovers, allowing Spokane to capitalize, as evidenced by Perez's layup at 6:11 assisted by Journee Brooks. Despite a layup from Fleishman at the two-minute mark, the quarter ended with Spokane maintaining a commanding lead, finishing the quarter 63-37.

Spokane secured a decisive victory over the Tritons, maintaining a strong lead throughout the fourth quarter. Spokane's Santucci and Shalene Ervin contributed significantly, with Ervin scoring a layup at 00:32 to extend their lead. Spokane dominated the paint, scoring 12 points in that area, while Edmonds struggled with turnovers, committing eight in the quarter. Kiana Hoolulu was a bright spot for the Tritons, hitting a 3-pointer at 08:07 and converting two free throws at 06:45. Spokane's defensive pressure resulted in six steals, and they outrebounded the Tritons 17-8 in the quarter, sealing the victory.

Edmonds Top Performers: Ava Uusitalo 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Payton Fleishman 8 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds; Kiana Hoolulu 13 points (4/6 free throws), 3 rebounds. 

The Tritons return home to face Tacoma on Wednesday, November 26 at 7 p.m.