SEATTLE, Wash. (November 11, 2018) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team started shaky and their first quarter struggles ultimately cost them in a 81-59 loss to Washington on Sunday, snapping their season-opening two-game winning streak. NAU finished the opening week of the season with a 2-1 mark with both of their victories coming against national postseason teams from a year ago.
 
"I know from first-hand experience that UW is a tough environment to play in," said head coach Loree Payne. "There were a lot of nerves and the Pac-12 atmosphere got to our young team; our youth showed through. Once we got settled in, we couldn't make shots. We got great looks and we had wide open buckets that we'll normally make, but the moment got the little bit of the best of us."
 
Senior Kaleigh Paplow opened the game's scoring with a layup on the first possession, but the 'Jacks would miss 11 consecutive shots until redshirt sophomore Caitlin Malvar hit a corner three on the final possession of the quarter. In between, NAU turned the ball over eight times.
 
However, Washington was not all that effective either in the first quarter with the Huskies shooting just 5-for-15 from the field allowing NAU to trail just 12-5 at the end of the period. But that seven-point deficit proved to be one the Lumberjacks could overcome in their afternoon contest in the Alaska Airlines Arena.
 
Still, the Lumberjacks stayed within striking range and trailed by just seven, 41-34, with 4:35 left in the third quarter following two free throws by sophomore Khiarica Rasheed, who finished the game with a team-leading 16 points. From there, Washington finished the period on a 13-2 run and nearly doubled its point total by scoring 40 points in the final 14 and a half minutes.
 
Washington shot 18-for-30 in the second half to boost its overall field goal percentage to 48.4 percent. NAU's offensive inefficiencies (.350 field goal percentage) and turnovers (19) were costly as was its 44-31 disadvantage on the glass.
 
Even through the struggles, Rasheed's 16 points led three Lumberjacks in double-digit scoring. Sophomore Lauren Orndoff finished one point shy of her career-high with 15 points and also led the team with seven boards. Paplow chipped in 10 points.
 
NAU's offense found a little rhythm in the second quarter, but the 'Jacks found themselves trailing by as much as 13 before closing the half with the final five points. Redshirt sophomore Jacey Bailey hit a triple and Rasheed laid it in to get the Lumberjacks within eight, 29-21, at the break.
 
Rasheed scored eight of NAU's first 13 points in the third quarter before Washington broke the game open. Following Rasheed's two free throws with 4:35 left in the third, the Huskies broke the game open with a 22-3 run spanning nearly eight minutes of game action into the final period and led by as much as 27 before it was all said and done.
 
The Huskies spoiled Payne's homecoming to the University of Washington where she starred as a player from 1999-2003 and served as an assistant coach from 2007-10. Payne was honored with a tribute video prior to tip-off. Washington also hosted a postgame reception for Payne and NAU following the game.
 
"UW is a first-class institution and everything they did was up to that standard," Payne said. "The pregame and the postgame reception they hosted for friends, families and donors made for a special evening. It goes to show how much class UW has a program and a university."
 
Despite committing 19 turnovers, NAU was actually plus-two in the turnover column. The Lumberjacks outscored the Huskies, 14-10, on points off miscues, but the Huskies controlled the paint, 46-24.
 
NAU returns to Flagstaff and will host California Baptist on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Rolle Activity Center.