Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's basketball team wrapped up their non-conference schedule this week as they split during the Purple & Gold Poet Classic falling to Ripon College 58-54 before holding off Concordia Chicago 95-87.

Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) and Christine Miller (Gilbert, AZ) were both named to the All-Tournament team after putting together two impressive games joining Nicole Herkert (Ripon), Maddie Koster (Ripon), Angelik Young (Concordia Chicago), and Lauren Orr (Concordia Chicago). 

Game 1 (Ripon College; L, 58-54)

Despite forcing 30 turnovers in game one of the classic, the Purple & Gold were unable to stop a 44% shooting effort, a 40% clip from behind the arc and a 75% mark from the charity stripe by the Redhawks as they went on to hold for the four point victory.

Seven different players added points with Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) leading the scoring surge with 14.  She was joined by Amia Thrash (Eastvale, Calif.) who off the bench in 23 minutes poured in 13 points, while picking up five steals and four rebounds.

Ripon's height caused issues early for the Poets who were outrebounded on the evening 44-38.  Whittier put together an 11-3 run however sparked by back to back triples from Thrash capped off with a tip-in by Youngblood. 

The Poets would take a seven point lead early into the second 20-13 with a Miller lay-in but would see the Redhawks rattle off 12 consecutive points to take a 25-20 advantage, which helped give them an eight point lead at intermission. 

In the second half Ripon would take their largest lead of the game of 11 midway through the third on a jumper from Eleanore Mueller but the Poets would answer closing out the frame on a 7-4 run that pulled them within striking distance at 49-43 heading into the fourth. 

In the final ten minutes the Poets would gather themselves to pull within two on a couple of occasions, at the beginning of the quarter coming on a jumper from Thrash and a layup by Youngblood and then again with :15 seconds left on the clock after a Rodriguez jumper but that's as close as Whittier would get as Maddie Koster would seal the victory with back to back free throws. 

Whitter shot 27 percent (18-66) from the field, 21 percent (4-19) from 3-point range and 54 percent (14-26) from the free throw line.          

Miller put together a strong game missing double digits as she finished with nine points, six boards, four steals, an assist, and a block, while Youngblood went eight and eight on points and rebounds.    

Game 2 (Concordia Chicago; W, 95-87)

Whittier put together their highest scoring effort of the season and one of the highest point totals in program history during their second game of the Classic.  The last time they scored over 90 points in a game was against Caltech during the 2013-14 season when they won 100-73. 

It was a dramatic ending as the Purple & Gold were able to hold off a Cougar rally late for the eight-point victory.  Whittier's pressure again caused problems for their opponent as they created 39 Cougar turnovers, which proved to be the difference in the game. 

It was all Whittier early as they found their offensive niche going out in front by as many as 18 sparked by an 8-0 run to start the game coming from a layup and two free throws from Rodriguez, a Miller lay-up, and two free throws from Youngblood.

CUC would manage to fight back to pull within seven during the first quarter following back to back jumpers from Taylor Jacobsen and Miranda Rogers.  But the Poets height would become an issue for the Cougars on the offensive end as Youngblood would put back a second-chance lay-up as time expired that gave Whittier a 25-16 lead after the first ten minutes.

Whittier continued with their full-court pressure in the second stanza forcing five turnovers, while extending their lead to 18 after shooting 50% from the field.   But again the Cougars rallied cutting the deficit to seven with :52 seconds remaining in the half following a three point play from Courtney Lofink.  But Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) and Rodriguez had a response combining to add back to back lay-ups in the final :30 seconds that pushed the lead back to double figures at 45-34 at intermission.

The story of the half was the Poets attempting 18 more shots than the Cougars and forcing 20 turnovers, which proved costly. 

CUC came out firing on all cylinders to start the third pulling again within seven.  WC kept them at bay however with their pressure extending the lead back to 15 with 1:53 remaining in the quarter.  From that point CUC made their run to get back into the game.  A combination of free throws from Orr and Jacobsen would get the scoring started.  Orr would score four of the last six points for the Cougars around a pair of Lofink free throws to close out the third quarter with CUC trailing 62-58.

The fourth quarter was intense from start to finish. A Teaira Miller layup pulled the Cougars within two. Just moments later it was Orr again who knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 64 with 8:42 remaining in the game.  A Whittier three was answered with a Morgan Jahnke jumper in the lane. A Young layup on a second-chance opportunity brought CUC back within one with 5:36 remaining. 

Whittier stretched the lead back out to five over the next few minutes, with two three pointers, a lay-up, and two free throws from Buechler.  But Jahnke would again bring the Cougars within a possession of tying the game at the 2:19 mark.  But that's as close as they would get as clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch sealed the deal for Whittier pulling off the 95-87 victory. 

Four of the five Poet starters recorded double figures led by Rodriguez who totaled 21 points.  She was joined by Buechler who had 20, to go with seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals.  Youngblood nearly missed her first career triple double as she finished with an impressive stat line of 18 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, and seven steals.  

Miller was the last Poet recording double digit points with 17 on 7-of-14 shooting, had three assists, two steals, and two rebounds.    

Whittier returns to the court tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, January 2 when they take on Chapman University beginning at 4:00pm opening up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.