The Benedictine University Mesa women's basketball team remained unbeaten on the young season Saturday afternoon, holding off a late Corban rally to earn a 79-74 victory at the PEC.
Benedictine jumped out to a strong start, using an aggressive defensive effort to build a 19-9 lead after the opening quarter. The Redhawks forced nine Corban turnovers in the first 10 minutes and stretched their advantage to as many as 12 points early in the contest.
The Redhawks carried that momentum into the second quarter and took a 37-29 lead into halftime. Benedictine shot nearly 50 percent from the floor for the game and controlled the paint throughout the afternoon, outscoring the Warriors 40-24 inside.
Benedictine appeared to seize control in the third quarter, building its largest lead of the game at 15 points with just over four minutes remaining in the period. However, Corban caught fire from beyond the arc late in the quarter, closing the gap and briefly taking a 52-51 lead with 56 seconds left in the frame. The Redhawks answered immediately as Olivia Arvallo knocked down a three-pointer in the closing seconds to give BENU a 54-52 advantage heading into the fourth.
The Warriors continued to push in the final quarter and tied the contest at 60-60 with 7:25 remaining. Benedictine responded behind the play of Alannah Northam and Arvallo, who combined for key baskets down the stretch to help the Redhawks regain control. BENU pushed its lead back to 11 points with 1:44 remaining before Corban trimmed the final margin in the closing seconds.
Northam led all scorers with 31 points on an efficient 12-for-17 shooting performance while adding seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Arvallo posted a stellar all-around effort with 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Leanna Lepe added 10 points and five rebounds, while Kanzas Mills chipped in seven points and five boards.
