All five starters scored in double-figures as Westmont women’s basketball advanced their season record to 3-0 with a 67-61 win over Montana Tech in the Mountain West Bank Classic. Junior guard Jessica Case led the Warriors with 12 points while junior point guard Amber Stevens recorded 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
The Warriors were playing with more of a mission than usual on Friday night. After arriving in Helena, Montana on Thursday, the coaches and team learned of the fire which had swept through the Westmont campus. Two members of the team also learned that their dorm rooms were among those destroyed by the fire.
“It was a highly emotional game,” said Westmont head coach Kirsten Moore. “We wanted to play well and represent our college well. We wanted to demonstrate the strength which God can give us in hard times. I am very proud of the effort our team played with under a lot of adversity. We wanted to get this win for everyone back home at Westmont.”
The Warriors led throughout the entire game, building up a lead of 13 with 14 minutes remaining on the second-half clock. But Montana Tech responded with a ten-point run to pull within four.
“Annie Johnson broke their momentum by getting to the free throw line and putting points back on the board,” reported Moore.
Johnson, a senior guard, scored 11 points in the game and pulled down six boards. Sophomore forward Angel Blanco and junior post player Alisha Heglund each contributed ten points with Blanco collecting six rebounds. Also contributing to the offense was freshman guard Katie Kittle with eight points and senior guard Lindsey Chessum with five.
“I was also pleased with our defensive effort,” noted Moore. “By taking care of the ball and pressuring their offense we forced 17 turnovers while only committing nine.”
The Warriors will wrap up their play in Montana tomorrow night with a rematch against the host, #8 Carroll (Mont.). Westmont and Carroll met in the first round of last year’s NAIA National Tournament. The Fighting Saints prevailed in Jackson, Tennessee by a score of 59-61.
