Four Warriors scored in double figures but Westmont women’s basketball opened up the exhibition season with a 72-61 exhibition loss to the Waves of Pepperdine.
Senior post Alisha Heglund led the Warriors with 14 points while senior point guard Amber Stevens tallied 12. Junior forward Angel Blanco scored 11 points and sophomore guard Angel Blanco contributed 10 to the Warrior cause.
“Today was a good example of our balanced offensive attack,” noted Westmont Head Coach Kirsten Moore. “I think there is a ton of positives we can take from this game. Pepperdine is an extremely athletic team. They pressed us for 40 minutes. To go against that pressure and athleticism and the size that they have inside, is really great preparation for the year ahead.”
Down 13-10 in the first half, Elizabeth Evancoe drained a three-pointer to tie the game. On Pepperdine’s ensuing possession, Blanco came up with a steal and fired the ball to Stevens for a layup and a 15-13 Warrior lead.
Pepperdine regained a 16-15 advantage with an and-one layup by Taylor Snider, and then scored again on a layup by T’Keyah Shealy. But Katie Kittle scored from beyond the arc to tie the game at eighteen with 10:43 remaining on the clock.
Jessica Case put the Warriors up 20-18 with a jumper at the midway mark of the first frame and Vanessa Farias added to Westmont’s advantage with a layup of her own.
Over the next five and one-half minutes, the Waves took control, going on a 20-0 run. A three-pointer by Heglund ended Pepperdine’s streak and started a 10-3 run by the Warriors to close out the half. Stevens scored twice on layups during the run and Evancoe added another long-range bucket.
As time expired in the first half, Westmont found itself down 41-32. Over the first 14 minutes of the second half, Pepperdine extended their lead to 15 (61-46) but the Warriors showed no signs of giving up.
Two baskets and a free throw by Heglund pulled the Warriors to within ten (61-51) with 4:25 to play. After the Waves’ Syke Barnett made a free throw, Stevens reduced the Pepperdine advantage to single digits (62-53) with a layup. A jumper by Kelsey Patrick made the score 64-53, but Westmont had more to give.
A layup by Evancoe resulted in an and-one opportunity which she converted to make the score 64-56 with three and one-half minutes remaining. The with 2:51 on the clock, Stevens nailed two three throws to get the Warriors to within six.
“I was really encouraged that with less than three minutes left we had a chance to win a game,” said Moore. “Our persistence in trying to rebound on the defensive end of the floor is what got us that opportunity. I thought we stayed a lot more composed against their pressure in the second half, took care of the ball and got some really good looks. I think that my team played extremely hard and scrapped for everything they possibly could. I was pleased with the effort, enthusiasm and team work we had on the court. I think we can feel real good going forward, but at the same time not be satisfied.”
Six points was as close as the Warriors would get. After a jumper by Pepperdine’s Miranda Ayim, Heglund restored the margin to six with a jumper, making the score 66-60 with 2:26 to play. But the Waves closed out the game on a 6-1 run to secure the victory.
“We were outsized everywhere and clearly the difference in the game was the rebounding margin Pepperdine held (52-29),” said Moore. “They had 27 o-boards. Every possession after we cut it to six, Pepperdine got a couple of offensive rebounds against us and if you give them that many chances they are going to put one in.”
Still the coach was please with much of what she saw on the court in the Warriors’ first outing.
“Amber did a great job handling traps and pressure today,” said Moore. “She is ready to be a great point guard in her senior year. Angel did a great job competing with their post players inside and getting on the boards.”
The Warriors will play two more exhibitions against NCAA Division I schools before starting the regular season. On Wednesday, Westmont will travel across town to take on UCSB in a seven o’clock game. Next Saturday afternoon, Westmont will take on Cal State Northridge at four.
