SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- Portland freshman Ellie Woerner had another solid performance, finishing with a game-high 17 points, but the Santa Clara Broncos broke open a close game early to defeat the Pilots 66-47 in West Coast Conference women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Leavey Center. The Pilots will next return home to host Pepperdine and LMU at the Chiles Center.


Junior Kaylie Van Loo began the game against the Broncos with consecutive pull-up jumpers to help the Pilots (2-20, 0-11 WCC) lead early. Moments later freshman Julie Spencer knocked down a shot from the baseline, and just like that the Pilots were ahead of their hosts by five points.
 
Santa Clara (17-5, 8-3 WCC) responded, but the Pilots remained within reach for most of the first half, including being down only 18-15 after the first quarter. The Broncos did extend their lead to double digits in the second period, but the Pilots refused to go away with the help of three three-pointers from Woerner, who went into the break with 11 points.
 
The Broncos then began to pull away in the third quarter, and soon the lead swelled to 20 points. Portland never fully recovered from there as the Broncos claimed the conference win.
 
Woerner, who leads the team in scoring and ranks 10th in the WCC with a 12.9 per game average, reaches double figures for the 18th time this season, her first on The Bluff. She shot five of seven from behind the arc against the Broncos, and she's the No. 2 scorer among the league's freshmen.
 
Santa Clara's Marie Bertholdt matched Woerner with 17 points, while the Broncos' Lori Parkinson was the game's top rebounder with 13 boards.
 
The Broncos shot 45 percent overall, while holding the Pilots to a chilly 30.1 percent. Santa Clara also combined for eight three-pointers, while going just 4 of 11 at the foul line. Woerner had all five of Portland's three-pointers and the Pilots shot 12-for-14 on free throws.
 
On Thursday night the Pepperdine Waves come to the Chiles Center for a 7 p.m. game, while Saturday brings a 2 p.m. tip-off with the LMU Lions.