Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Basketball team closed out 2016 Saturday evening in the Graham Athletic Center in a big Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) match-up with Claremont-M-S but fell short 59-43.

The Athenas who won the SCIAC Championship title a year ago came into the GAC on New Year's taking on a short-handed Poet squad but were tested for three quarters before pulling away in the fourth to pull off the road victory.

That's Whittier's first conference loss as they drop to 2-9, 1-1 SCIAC, while Claremont-M-S improves to 6-5, 2-1 SCIAC.

CMS held a slight 15-10 edge after the first quarter of play.  Emily Underwood (Nicholasville, KY) added the first five points for the Purple & Gold as the game remained tied 5-5 up until the 2:57 mark.

After trailing 9-5, Kaylah Alexander (Altoona, PA) and Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) got into the scoring category with a layup and three-pointer that got them within one at 11-10.

Five straight points for the Athenas opened up the second quarter of play that moved the score to double digits.  Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) then found her groove inside adding a couple free throws and a layup that pulled WC within seven but an ensuing 9-3 run by Claremont-M-S would send them into the half leading 32-19.

Scoring went back and forth in the early part of the third quarter with Carly Buechler (Greenwood Village, CO) knocking down an opening triple.  Whittier continued to push and provided a threat as they put together 10 unanswered points, which included three pointers from Buechler and Underwood, and a pair of free throws and a layup from Youngblood.

This would get them within five at 37-32 with 3:49 to play and Underwood would convert two free throws down the stretch that helped Whittier outscore CMS in the frame 15-11.

But in the fourth, the wheels would come off as the Poets would be outscored 16-9.  Daniza Rodriguez (San Jose, Calif.) started it off with a three pointer that got WC within six but those would be the lone points scored over the next eight minutes when she would knock down a couple free throws.

Despite an effort to foul and with the addition of layups from Emilee Dy (Chino Hills, Calif.) and Kate Nakano (San Francisco, Calif.), it wouldn't be enough to pull off the home victory.

Underwood was the lone Poet in double figures with 10 on 3-of-6 shooting and had four boards.  Buechler added nine points, four rebounds, an assist and three steals, while Youngblood registered eight points, four boards and a game high five blocks.

Freshman Cali Cubel (Oceanside, Calif.) was held scoreless but still managed to grab three rebounds and dish out six assists and a steal.                    

Whittier returns in the New Year to faceoff with Caltech on Monday, January 2 with game time set for 7:00pm.