Gonzaga pulls away during second half

Junior Tiffanie Shives scored a career-high 25 points and Gonzaga opened the second half with a 13-0 run Wednesday on the way to a 95-79 non-conference women’s basketball win over Utah Valley University at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Sophomore Courtney Vandersloot and junior Heather Bowman combined for nine of the 13 points as the Bulldogs (3-0) broke from a 44-all halftime score to pull away from the Wolverines (1-2).

“(The 13-0 run) set the tone to start the second half,” said GU coach Kelly Graves. “We built up a lead and played well with the lead after that fast start.”

Utah Valley led 39-30 with 4 minutes, 20 seconds left in the first half. The Bulldogs answered with a 14-2 run, capped by one of Shives’ four 3-pointers on the night.

Shives finished 9 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. Bowman, in her second game back from elbow surgery, added 19 points, Vivian Frieson scored 17 and Vandersloot added 15.

Frieson and Bowman had six rebounds apiece to guide a 37-33 advantage.

Wolverines center Robyn Fairbanks scored 18 of her 29 points in the first half.

•Caitlin Anderson finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead Weber State (1-1) to a 77-66 non-conference win over Washington (0-2) at Ogden, Utah.

Men’s soccer

Junior Nick Barclay is the first player from Gonzaga to be named All-West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the conference announced.

Barclay joined junior midfielder Tye Perdido as first-team picks from GU. Zags junior midfielder Ben Funkhouser (East Valley High) was named to the second team, and senior midfielder Nick Heinrichs, junior defender Tim Muravez and sophomore forward Nick Love made honorable mention.

Women’s soccer

Senior defender Kelly Baker, senior forward Whitney Ramsey (North Central High) and junior midfielder Lindsey Oakes of Whitworth were named to the all-Northwest Conference first team.

Also for the Pirates, sophomore forward Elizabeth Mattila made the second team, and junior defender Miranda Cosand, sophomore forward Emily Rohde and senior midfielder Kara Tisthammer (Ferris) were named honorable mention.

Volleyball

Idaho senior outside hitter Haley Larsen was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference first team, becoming the first Vandals player to earn four all-conference honors.

Vandals senior setter Kelsey James (Sandpoint) and junior middle blocker Anna McKinney were second-team picks.

•Eastern Washington coach Miles Kydd announced that 6-foot outside hitter Shelby Puckett (Tekoa-Oakesdale) has signed a letter of intent.

Puckett helped the Nighthawks to last year’s State 1B title and to third place at last weekend’s State 2B tournament.

Girls basketball

Taylor Pasley scored 16 points to lead Wallace (2-1, 1-0) to a 64-26 win at Mullan in North Star League play. Lauren Lavigne added 12 points and six rebounds for the Miners. Nicole Axtman and Britany Walsh combined for 20 points and 26 rebounds for Mullan (0-4, 0-2).