Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's basketball team dropped their second straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contest Wednesday evening as they were edged 77-75 in overtime by Cal Lutheran University.

This marks the second straight overtime loss the Poets have suffered as they drop to 7-9, 3-5 SCIAC, while Cal Lutheran moves to 11-6, 6-2 SCIAC, which places them in second place in the SCIAC standings.

Whittier trailed in the first ten minutes of the game but came back to take a lead, which they would hold onto until overtime.  They held a 44-32 lead at the break led by Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) who tossed in 11 of her team high 21 points.

But in the second half, CLU would storm back outscoring the Purple & Gold 36-24, with the biggest basket coming with 5.0 seconds remaining in regulation.  Following two free throws from Rodriguez that gave the Poets a 68-65 lead, Chelsea Jacoby would come down on the other end and put up a three, which would rattle out.  But after a long rebound, Jessica Salottolo was in the right spot at the right time at the top of the key hauling in the board taking a step back and draining the game tying triple as time expired that forced OT.

In the extra session the Poets got a quick basket from Kaylah Alexander (Altoona, PA) and Rodriguez would give WC a one point lead 71-70 following a free throw.  But on the next two possessions, CLU would come up with two layups that extended the lead to three 74-71 with 2:18 to play.

After a Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) jumper that pulled Whittier within one 74-73, Sofia Cruz would come down and convert a three point play the old fashion way that put CLU in front 77-73, which proved to be enough as Krishauna Leftridges' (Washington D.C.) lay-up would be the final basket converted by the Poets.

Whittier won the rebounding effort 57-50 and had 16 second chance points but turned the ball over 26 times, which turned into 20 points for the Regals, which in the end proved costly down the stretch. 

Rodriguez finished the game with 21 points, two steals, three assists, and three rebounds.  Leftridge had eight points and eight rebounds, Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) had eight points and seven boards and Alexander had seven points and 12 rebounds off the bench. 

Whittier remains at home this Saturday, January 31 as they host the first place Athena's of Claremont-M-S beginning at 5:00pm.