Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Basketball team saw their 2015-16 season come to a close Tuesday evening as they dropped a tight 65-60 decision to Cal Lutheran University during PAC the GAC.

The Purple & Gold end the season with a 7-18, 4-12 SCIAC record and finished in seventh place in the conference standings. 

Chelsea Jacoby entering the game was sitting on 999 career points in just three seasons for the Regals and reached the 1,000 point milestone after she buried a jumper with 2:50 remaining in the first quarter.

Whittier took an early 7-4 lead after a lay-up and jumper from Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) but CLU would rally to go in front 20-13 behind eight unanswered.  The second quarter both teams added 11 points with the Regals holding a 31-24 advantage at the break.

In the third, the Purple & Gold mounted their comeback outscoring CLU 19-13.  Amia Thrash (Eastvale, Calif.) lit it up from long range pouring in 11 of her game high 21 points on 4-of-5 shooting, which included two deep tres. 

Whittier started the quarter off on a 10-0 run with eight of the ten points coming from Thrash that gave WC a one point lead 34-33. 

Carly Buechler (Denver, CO) added a lay-up and free throw soon after that kept the Poets within two following a mini-run by the Regals and with :32 seconds left to play in the third period, Thrash would connect with a three-pointer that cut the deficit to one 44-43.

Both teams took turns with the lead early in the fourth.  Cal Lutheran extended a lead to as much as six with 3:32 to play but a lay-up from Daniza Rodriguez (San Jose, Calif.) and a triple from Buechler would pull the Purple & Gold within one 59-58.

But on the very next two possessions for CLU Taylor Messick and Grace Derksen would add baskets that would push the lead back to five and despite a lay-up by Youngblood with :19 seconds left in the game, the Poets were unable to overcome the five point deficit.

Buechler finished with eight points, three assists, and two steals.  Youngblood had six points and seven rebounds, Christine Miller (Gilbert, AZ) had seven points and four rebounds off the bench and Priscilla Rodriguez (East Los Angeles, Calif.) chipped in with six points, six boards and three assists.