Junior post player Alisha Heglund knocked down 22 points and junior guard Jessica Case added 18, but the #15 Westmont Women’s Basketball (14-3, 6-3) team could not pull off the upset of #2 Vanguard (15-2, 9-0) as the Lions outscored the Warriors 83-75 in Costa Mesa.
Heglund made 10 of 18 attempts from the floor and pulled down seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Angel Blanco (6 points) led the Warriors in rebounding with 11 while junior point guard Amber Stevens tallied eight rebounds, and eight assists.
Case made five of 11 from three point range and freshman guard Katie Kittle scored in double digits making 5 of 11 from the floor on her way to 12 points.
Entering the second half trailing by a single point (38-37), the Warriors gave up a jumper to Diana Neves (13 points). Westmont responded with a jumper by Heglund followed with a layup by Stevens. Case then nailed one of her three-pointers to give Westmont its largest lead of the game 44-40 with 16:34 remaining on the second half clock.
After a couple of free throws by the Lions’ Sarah Boyd (8 points), Rachel Copeland (20 points) tied the game with a layup. Heglund restored the Warriors advantage to three with a traditional three-point play before Vanguard’s Lauren Gregory (13 points) followed two free throws with a three-point bomb; putting the Lions up 49-47.
Westmont kept the score close until Vanguard put together an 8-0 run resulting in a score of 68-57 in favor of the Lions with 6:41 remaining in regulation. Westmont cut the lead to four (68-64) on a jumper by Blanco with 3:54 on the clock, but Vanguard outscored the Warriors 15-11 the rest of the way to seal the victory.
In other GSAC action, #13 Point Loma Nazarene (14-4, 8-2) defeated #20 The Master’s (10-8, 5-4) by a score of 75-64. #18 Biola (13-5, 5-4) was upset 74-65 on its home court by California Baptist (11-8, 4-5). Fresno Pacific (8-8, 4-5) defeated visiting Concordia (10-7, 3-6) by a tally of 70-54.
As a result, Vanguard sits atop the conference standings, one and one-half games ahead of Point Loma Nazarene and three games ahead of Westmont in third. Biola, The Master’s and #23 Azusa Pacific are tied for fourth place, one game behind the Warriors. California Baptist and Fresno Pacific are another game back in a tie for seventh place.
Westmont will return to Murchison Gymnasium on Tuesday night to host Azusa Pacific. The game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
