Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The five seniors for the Whittier College Women's Basketball team were sent off in impressive fashion Saturday night as the Purple & Gold prevailed 76-70 in overtime to top the No. 4 ranked Uni. of Redlands inside of the Graham Athletic Center.

Carly Buechler (Greenwood Village, CO), Ana Youngblood (Berkeley, Calif.), Margo Campos (Norwalk, Calif.), Daniza Rodriguez (San Jose, Calif.), and Kaylah Alexander (Altoona, PA) were recognized before the game as they saw Whittier play in their second straight OT contest, while moving to 8-16, 7-8 SCIAC.

In front of a packed crowd the Poets had four players record double digit efforts led by Emilee Dy (Chino Hills, Calif.) who poured in a career high 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting off the bench.  The Poets got a quick two fouls on Redlands' Reyna Ta'amu in the early stages of the first quarter forcing her to the bench and the Bulldogs to play small.

This allowed WC to put together seven straight and take a lead at 9-2.  UR however kept it close and rallied to go in front 12-11 but three free throws over the final :43 seconds from Kate Nakano (San Francisco, Calif.) and Youngblood would give Whittier a 14-12 lead.

In the second Whittier poured it on outscoring UR 17-13 sparked by a triple from Dy and a layup inside from Youngblood.  The lead was stretched to six following a pair of Alexander free throws with 2:04 to play.  Mariana Ecija would counter with a three-pointer for the Maroon and Grey but Emily Underwood (Nicholasville, KY) and Youngblood would pair up to knock down a tre and two free throws that moved the score to 31-25 at the break.

In the third, Redlands rallied and found their offense, while putting Ta'amu back into the contest, who was a force to be reckoned with inside.  Six in a row brought the Bulldogs within two at 35-33 but five straight from Dy would keep WC out in front.

Soon after though Redlands would make a run of nine unanswered that put them back on top at 44-41 but Dy and Cali Cubel (Oceanside, Calif.) would both add jumpers that gave Whittier a slight 45-44 advantage at the end of the third.

In the fourth, it came down to the final minute.  Cubel started the period off with five straight that pushed the Poet lead back to five.  It then became a back and forth battle from there as Ta'amu would answer inside, while Jade Cheldelin would hit a quick jumper that gave UR back the lead at 56-54.  Cubel hit a huge triple that changed the lead but it was short-lived as Cheldelin would respond with her own that gave it right back.

With 1:17 to play, Underwood would convert two free throws and then with under a minute to go, Dy would knock down the biggest shot of her career draining a deep three-pointer that most thought would have sealed the win.  But no, Cassandra Lacey would come down on the next possession for the Bulldogs and add a layup that got UR within one.  UR was forced to foul, which they did sending Dy to the line for two but she would go 1-2 allowing Redlands to have one final look.  After a timeout, Redlands came out and drew up a play for Cheldelin, which she would knock down as time expired forcing the game into overtime.

The extra period was all Poets.  Alexander knocked down a huge triple and was followed by a Buechler jumper.  Leading by one, Dy came up with another huge three-pointer and that would be enough as she would add another four free throws inside a minute that secured the home victory.

Whittier shot 44% from the field and despite being outrebounded 39-28 received 24 points off turnovers and had 20 points inside the paint.

Youngblood tossed in 14 points with seven boards.  Cubel played all 40 minutes adding 13 points with four rebounds, an assist and two steals, while Underwood would register 13 points on 3-of-7 shooting.