FOR KICKS: Eastern Oregon University forward Andra Peterson goes up for a shot against OIT Friday at Quinn Coliseum as teammate Elise Hawes stands in the background. EOU lost to OIT, 68-63 and hosts Southern Oregon University today at 5:30 p.m. (The Observer/Tony Adame).

Tony Adame

Staff Writer

To La Grande native and Oregon Institute of Technology guard Lindsay Carmichael and her teammates, Friday’s 68-63 win over Eastern Oregon University was the nexus of a year’s worth of hard work, superceding everything that came before it.

Even, in Carmichael’s case, some friendships.

"It goes past friendships," said Carmichael after holding former La Grande High School teammate and Cascade Collegiate Conference leading scorer Christie Weaver to four points. "It goes past playing together in high school and it comes down to playing your hardest when it matters most.

"Besides playing in the state championship game (in 2002), this is the biggest game I’ve ever played in."

The Mountaineers struggled shooting against the Owls (15-1 CCC, 20-6 overall), going just 24-68 from the field for 35 percent including a 1-for-7 performance from Weaver.

"There was no single possession that lost the game for us tonight," EOU head coach Anji Weissenfluh said. "It was not being able to make adjustments. You’ve got to give Carmichael credit, she’s played exceptional defense on Christie and credit the coach for putting her on Christie the whole game."

Trailing 32-24 at halftime, EOU (13-2, 16-6) ran into trouble at the 14 minute mark of the second half, when second leading scorer Jamie Jo Cant picked up her fourth foul and had to sit until a little over seven minutes left in regulation.

"I was thinking five minutes to go and I’d put her back in," Weissenfluh said. "But I’ve seen too many situations where you wait too long."

A Cant three-pointer and a pair of Cant free throws made the score 62-61 with a little under a minute to play, but OIT was able to close out the game from the free throw line, where the Owls were a perfect 14-for-14.

Nikki McElligott led OIT with 28 points and 13 rebounds including 11 of OIT’s last 12 points.

Heidi Horobiowski led EOU in scoring with 22 points and Cant finished with 16.

"We’ve been working hard all year and tonight was just, incredible, exciting," McElligott said. "This is what it’s all about."

The win, OIT’s 16th straight came in a battle between the CCC’s top two teams.

"It shows you’ve got to be playing your best when you come to EOU," OIT head coach Tom Loney said. "We hit some big buckets tonight and Lindsay did what she’s done all year, which is be a great defender."

EOU hosts Southern Oregon University today at 5:30 p.m. EOU will honor their seniors before the game.

OREGON TECH (68)

Gilbert 3-8 2-2 11, Haylett 3-8 0-0 7, Carmichael 1-6 0-0 3, McElligott 9-19 9-9 28, Doherty 3-6 0-0 8, Ivancie 0-2 2-2 2, Gugel 1-3 0-0 2, DuBrey 3-5 1-1 7, Bocchi 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 23-58 14-14 68.

EASTERN OREGON (63)

Shelton 6-15 2-2 16, Weaver 1-7 1-2 4, Peterson 1-10 1-3 3, Cant 4-8 4-7 16, Horobiowski 11-22 0-0 22, Vogler 0-0 0-0 0, Hawes 0-3 0-0 0, Sperry 0-0 0-0 0, Olsen 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 24-68 8-14 63.

Halftime score – OIT 32, EOU 24. Three-pointers – OIT 8-26 (Gilbert 3-6), EOU 7-22 (Cant 4-8). Fouled out – None. Total fouls – OIT 14, EOU 16. Turnovers – OIT 17, EOU 14. Rebounds – OIT 37 (McElligott 13), EOU 44 (Peterson 9). Assists – OIT 17 (Gilbert 5), EOU 19 (Shelton 7).