Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Whittier College women's basketball team handed the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer their first win of the 2012-13 season by dropping a 54-48 loss Thursday evening at Voelkel Gymnasium.

Whittier now drops to 4-9, 1-3 SCIAC, while Pomona-Pitzer earns their first win of the season moving to 1-8, 1-3 SCIAC.  This marks the second straight loss for the Poets against the Sagehens dating back to last year when Pomona-Pitzer won at home in the regular season finale. 

With 3:00 to play in the second half, Whittier mounted a comeback scoring eight unanswered thanks to six straight from Alex Coon with the last coming on a steal and a fast break layup to pull within two at 50-48 but four straight free throws from the Sagehens kept the Poets at bay in the final minute.

The Sagehens saw three players reach double figures including Alexis Sones who finished with a game high 17 points on 6-13 shooting.  She was followed by Juliah Shay Kim and Jenn Okonkwo who recorded 13 and 12 points, each respectively. 

For the Poets, Casceal Swaggard reached double digits for the first time this season pouring in 10 points on 5-11 shooting, while hauling in eight boards, while Coon finished with 9 points on 4-11 shooting. 

Whittier opened the game up on a 5-0 run but saw Pomona-Pitzer mount a comeback rattling off 11 unanswered and they never looked back as they rode a 29-21 lead into the break, while holding Whittier to 9-33 shooting. 

Coming out of the half, Whittier answered with a layup from Coon and a three ball from Amanda Apgar to pull within three, but Pomona-Pitzer managed to limit the Poets from making any big runs that allowed them to keep the point differential at nine throughout the second half. 

The Poets return to action tomorrow, Saturday, January 5 when they travel to Redlands, Calif. when they take on the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands beginning sat 5:00pm.