Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Basketball team suffered another tight loss at home Wednesday evening as they fell 66-61 to Occidental College inside of the Graham Athletic Center.

Three of the Poet starters recorded double digit scoring efforts led by freshman Cali Cubel (Oceanside, Calif.) who added a game high 16 points. 

The Purple & Gold got off to a hot start in the first quarter outscoring the Tigers 21-19 thanks to the hot shooting of Daniza Rodriguez (San Jose, Calif.) who scored the first seven points for WC.  Seven unanswered with a triple and layup from Carly Buechler (Greenwood Village, CO) and a layin from Rodriguez soon after would extend the Poet lead to six.

Rodriguez nailed another from deep at the 1:48 mark that moved the score to 21-14 but over the final :37 seconds, Occidental managed to get a pair of free throws from Midori McElwee and a three-pointer from Erin Matsumoto that pulled them within two at 21-19.

Shariah Green pulled the game even at 21-21 a minute into the second quarter.  Cubel would add a couple free throws later that put Whittier back on top 26-24 and it would then become a defensive stand from there as a combined nine points would be scored in the final 2:44 before intermission. 

Whittier trailed by one 30-29 at the break but would find their offense again in the third with Emily Underwood (Nicholasville, KY) and Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.) converting on a couple jumpers capped off with a layin by Cubel that would swing the momentum back with the Poets as they would go in front 35-32.

A 5-0 spurt by the Tigers would give them back the lead soon after but Emilee Dy (Chino Hills, Calif.) would come up big with a triple in response as that would tie things up at 39-39.

The game became a chess match from there with both teams answering each other's baskets.  Youngblood found her way inside for a couple layups that tied the game up at 45-45 but over the final :35 seconds in the third, Oxy would again come up in the clutch with a couple baskets that gave them a slight edge 49-45.

In the final 10:00 period, Whittier battled adding another 16 points with 12 of them coming from Cubel but they couldn't come up with the stop when they needed it as Oxy would outscore them 17-16 to hold on for the road victory.

Rodriguez helped Cubel by adding 15 points and had five rebounds.  Youngblood again played big inside and tossed in yet another double double with 13 points and 12 boards.  

Whittier remains at home this Saturday, January 14 as they host the University of La Verne with game time set for 5:00pm.