Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Basketball team saw their winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon as they were edged 46-45 by Claremont-M-S.
Even with the loss the Poets still sit in sole possession of 2nd place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings posting a 14-7, 8-3 SCIAC record.
It was a low scoring affair inside the Graham Athletic Center with the Purple & Gold being held to their second lowest offensive output on the season. The game saw six ties and seven lead changes, which included the Athenas going in front for the final time with 1:37 to play. Whittier had their chances down the stretch to pull off the tie/win, which included a missed layup from Cali Cubel (Oceanside, Calif.), a missed three-pointer from Emily Guerena (Montebello, Calif.) and a crucial free throw from Shaeleigh Wright (Long Beach, Calif.).
Following the missed triple from Guerena with :04 seconds to play Wright was able to get an offensive rebound and draw a foul that sent her to the line to shoot two. Trailing by a pair, the junior forward would step up to the charity line and go 1-for-2, getting WC within one, but that's as close as they would get as CMS would hold on for the road victory.
Following the 1st Quarter the Athenas held a two-point advantage at 10-8. Then in the 2nd, Allison Lou (Cerritos, Calif.) caught fire with a pair of triples along with a Guerena layup inside, which put the Poets on top 16-10. Guerena then answered from downtown that stretched the lead back to seven and despite a 7-3 run by CMS to close out the half Whittier still held onto a 24-21 advantage at the break. The offense continued to roll in the 3rd period, with WC holding a slight 13-12 advantage. CMS regained the lead at the 7:38 mark following a Kelly Keene layup. They went back on top two minutes later, but an ensuing 7-0 run by the Purple & Gold, which included a pair of layups from Wright and Teani White (Burbank, Calif.), capped off with a three-point play from Cubel, would swing the momentum putting Whittier on top 35-30.
Leading 37-33 heading into the 4th, the Poets looked like they would complete the season sweep over the Athenas but that wouldn't be the case as CMS would go on to put up 13 points across the final 10:00 minutes. They started off the quarter on a 5-1 run that tied things up at 38-38. Cubel would then knock down a pair of free-throws after that but another triple from Keene would move the score to 41-40 with 5:54 to play.
The lead for the Athenas stretched to three after a Lindsey Cleary layup. But this advantage wouldn't hold as White would add two free-throws followed by the go-ahead layup from Guerena with 3:29 to go. These points however would be the final tallies put up by the Purple & Gold until the :04 second mark from Wright when she put up the one free throw.
Cubel led the Poets in scoring with 14 on 4-of-9 shooting. White recorded 10 points with six steals and two assists and Guerena off the bench chipped in with seven points and five rebounds. Wright inside put up five points and five rebounds and Lou finished with those two triples for six points.
Whittier shot 34% from the field and 33% from three-point territory. They were outrebounded 35-23 but put up 14 points in the paint and picked up 23 points off turnovers.
Whittier looks to get back on track this Wednesday, February 5 when they host the University of La Verne beginning at 7:00pm.
