Western Washington Women’s basketball defeated Seattle Pacific University 72-43 in their second-to-last regular season game on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
The Vikings struggled defensively during the first quarter, letting in three threes by the Falcons. According to junior guard Libby Stump, this let the team know it was time to strengthen their defense.
“A couple minutes in, we (were) like, ‘oh man, we got to get out and take away those three’s,’ but we adjusted well and we really focused on our defense,” Stump said. “We know when our defense is clicking, we have a really good chance of winning.”
With a heightened focus on defense during the second quarter, Western succeeded in defending all of Seattle Pacific’s threes, in addition to scoring 22 points of their own. The Vikings headed into halftime leading the game 39-15.
Western Head Coach Carmen Dolfo spoke to the importance of having strong defense regardless of what the score is.
“We really talk about defense being controllable, so I think we just need to focus on the controllables no matter how things go,” Dolfo said.
In the third quarter, the Vikings expanded their lead over the Falcons by another 18 points, propelling them into the final quarter.
With 52 seconds left on the clock, Western held a 33-point advantage over Seattle Pacific. Although the Falcons were able to score four more points before the end of the game, the Vikings remained dominant, leaving the court victorious with a final score of 72-43. This win puts the Vikings at a 10-0 record at home.
Prior to tipoff, senior forward Olivia Hodges was celebrated for reaching 1,000 career points, an accomplishment that she said felt surreal.
“I never thought I would get here,” Hodges said. “I had a rough few years before this and I never thought I would even reach a milestone like this.”
A key player on both ends of the court, scoring 21 points and 12 rebounds, Hodges described this game as joyful, happy and fun, which she attributed to the Vikings enjoying one of their last home games together.
“(When) playing a sport, especially when you’re trying to win, it’s hard to put a smile on, it’s hard to play with joy,” Hodges said.
With only one more regular season game remaining, the Vikings are preparing for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships (GNAC), which will take place at home at WECU Court on March 5-7, 2026.
“(We’re) super excited to play whoever we get, whatever chance we get (and) just go out and play as hard as we can, play together and see what we can do,” Stump said.
This will be Hodges’ first conference championship with the Vikings after transferring from California State University, Los Angeles this year. She said her excitement about GNAC Championship play is unique compared to her previous seasons.
“I’ve never felt excited (before), I’ve always felt tense and scared of how people are going to perceive me at the game,” Hodges said. “Now I’m just excited to be on a team that wants it as bad as I want it, so I’m just super excited. I’m ready to win.”
Erica Stavnem (she/her) is a sports and recreation reporter for The Front. She is a second-year Western student and is majoring in visual journalism. In addition, she is a member of Western’s sailing team. She enjoys reading, camping and travel. You can reach her at ericastavnem.thefront@gmail.com.
