Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2021) – Led by a 30-point outing from senior guard Teani White (Burbank, Calif. / Viewpoint), the Whittier College women's basketball team made it a successful debut to the 2021-22 season on Saturday afternoon against the University of Antelope Valley.

The Poets overcame a slow start to topple the Pioneers, a team that had 22 wins just two seasons ago, by 25 points. The home team had at least 20 points in each of the final three quarters, thanks in large part to their senior guard who exploded for 20 points in the third quarter alone on 7-for-8 shooting. During this stretch, White also went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line while starring in the full 10 minutes of the quarter. White's teammates also go involved in the big quarter, with freshman Rhe Nae Leach assisting on each of White's first two field goals of the quarter. Additionally, senior Daisy Cardenas (Santa Clarita, Calif. / Canyon) scored five of her 10 points during this stretch.

Whittier's ability to keep Antelope Valley off the glass proved to be a difference-maker, particularly as late-game fatigue began to set in. The Poets appeared to be the fresher of the two teams, drawing from their experiences against Division I opponents in the preseason such as the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Riverside. The Poets went on to outrebound the Pioneers, 44-28, with White leading the with six boards, five on the defensive side of things. Senior forward Shaeleigh Wright (Long Beach, Calif. / Long Beach Millikan), meanwhile, had five rebounds of her own, three of which came on the offensive end where the Poets doubled up the Pioneers 11-5. Whittier's proficiency on the glass would lead to 15 second-chance points that helped keep the visiting side from making one final run at cutting the Poets' lead.

While the Poets are by no means a finished product, the show of dominance against a solid NAIA school like Antelope Valley could be a sign of things to come in the 2021-22 season. Additionally, the collaborative nature of the game from Whittier's end was also a major plus for the home team. All five starters, plus seven different players off the bench scored points with all but two of them scoring from the field. Leach particularly shined in her debut for the Purple & Gold, scoring six points to go with three steals and two blocked shots. Additionally, junior guard Lanie James (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora) joined Wright and White as players to register at least five rebounds, while senior transfer Amy Navarro (Pico Rivera, Calif. / Rio Hondo Community College) gave the Poets four off the bench.

Head Coach Roy Dow and the Poets will have a week to clean things up and will look to make it two-and-a-row when they host George Fox University (1-1) on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m.

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