Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. – A second half comeback was not enough Tuesday evening as the Whittier College Women's Basketball team couldn't overcome an 11-point halftime deficit to the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer falling 77-68.

Whittier (4-9, 1-3 SCIAC) saw four of their five starters record double digit scoring efforts led by Christine Miller (Gilbert, AZ) who had a game high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting.  But the difference in the game was bench points where the Poets were outscored 13-0. 

The Poets jumped out in front 13-4 capped off with back to back triples from Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) but the Sagehens would rally outscoring the Purple & Gold 13-4 over the final 4:30 that tied the game up at 17-17 after the first quarter of play.

PP opened the game up in the second quarter going on a quick 10-2 run that moved them in front 27-19 before taking a 40-29 lead into intermission. 

In the third, Whittier cut the Sagehen lead down to three with a 10-4 run out of the locker room with eight of them coming from Miller but that's as close as they would get as Pomona-Pitzer would regain control moving back out in front by seven.

In the fourth the Poets tried to get back into the game getting two quick three pointers from Buechler and Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) that made the score 57-53 but the PP defensive unit made it tough for the Poets to put together any run after that as they held on for the nine point victory.

Joining Miller with 19 points was Rodriguez who also had four boards and four assists.  Buechler had 13, while collecting four rebounds and three steals and Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, six rebounds and three assists.

Whittier remains on the road this Saturday, January 16 as they take on Cal Lutheran University beginning at 4:00pm.