SPOKANE, Wash. – Using a swarming defense that forced 10 more turnovers than field goals it allowed, the Lewis-Clark State College women's basketball team tied the best start in program history with its 14^th straight win, a 70-40 victory over Whitworth on Friday night.

LCSC, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, also started the 2013-14 season with 14 straight wins. The streak ties for the sixth longest in school history. The longest is 25 set in the 1999-2000 season. LCSC has won 15 straight three times, the last in 2005-06.

On Friday, the Warriors' defense forced 28 turnovers and allowed only 18 field goals against the NCAA Division III Pirates, who fall to 3-5.  LCSC trailed 10-7 after the first quarter but outscored Whitworth 63-30 over the final three quarters.

"We got the win tonight, but we had a horrible start on both ends," LCSC coach Brian Orr said. "Defensively, we struggled to stop penetration and offensively, we just didn't miss shots, we missed them badly."

The Warriors collected 14 steals and held the Pirates to just 15-of-51 shooting from the field, 29.4 percent. From the 3-point line, Whitworth was 3-of-18, 16.7 percent.

"We eventually settled in defensively and di end up getting several steal tonight, but in the first half we were unable to turn them into points."

The Warriors grabbed their first lead of the contest early in the second quarter and then took control of the game with a 17-point run that turned a 13-11 deficit into a 28-13 lead.  Junior Brittany Tackett scored six straight points during the run, which featured five Warriors scoring at least two points.

During that scoreless stretch that lasted nearly six minutes, Whitworth committed eight turnovers and went 0-for-5 from the field.

LCSC led 30-17 at half and continued to build the margin in the final 20 minutes. LCSC ended the game on a 12-3 run to claim its eighth win of the season by at least 30 points.

The Warriors put four players in double figures. Sophomore post Jossilyn Blackman had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead the way, while senior guard Caelyn Orlandi joined Tackett with 12 points. Junior guard Lauren Johnson added 10 points.

"Lauren came in and hit a couple of much needed baskets and Brittany came in and gave us a spark," Orr said about the first half run. "But it was one of those games where even thought we won we know we are a much better team than we showed for most of the game tonight."

Senior guard Brooke Litalien added five rebounds and five steals, while Natahnee Spencer and Orlandi had six assists apiece.

LCSC held a 46-39 rebound advantage and had 17 assists on its 35 baskets.

The Warriors were 29-of-75 from the field for 38.7 percent and 6-of-28 from the 3-point line for 21.4 percent.  LCSC's slow start was in part from its 3-point shooting. LCSC went 1-of-14 from the 3-point line in the opening half.

"We okated a kit better in the second half and did have a few possessions where we looked sharp, but we just lacked the consistency we have shown this season," Orr said.

LCSC now takes some time off for the holidays before it meets back up  after Christmas. LCSC plays the University of Idaho in Moscow on Dec. 27 in an exhibition game at 6 p.m., and then resumes Frontier Conference play on Dec. 31 against Montana Tech at 5:30 p.m. at the LCSC Activity Center.