WHITTIER, Calif. (Dec. 29, 2023) – The Whittier College women's basketball team bagged its sixth win in the last seven games to close out the calendar year on Friday afternoon. The Poets defeated Saint Joseph's College of Maine, 49-40, marking the second time this season they have held opponents to 40 points or fewer.

The Poets had the Monks well scouted from the game's onset, as they opened things on a 7-0 run and went on to hold their New England opponents without a single three-pointer on 17 attempts in the first half. Junior forward Lulu Salloom (Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus / College of the Canyons) found her range in Saturday's game as the first Whittier player to score. She went on to gash the Monks for a game-best 18 points as one of three Whittier players to reach double-figures. She also came one rebound away from picking up another double-double, though she did lead the Poets in another rebounding clinic.

Junior guard Rhe Nae Leach and senior forward Lainie James (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora / Concordia University Irvine) joined Salloom in double-figures, but some of the game's most standout players belonged to junior guard Abby Pagila (Oakland, Calif. / Bishop O'Dowd). Pagila was a defensive menace off the ball for the Poets, picking off the Monks on multiple occasions and turning her steals into easy fast break points that ultimately made the difference in what was a low scoring affair. On one particular occasion in the second half, the junior showcased ample poise on the break, finding classmate Rhe Nae Leach (Riverside, Calif. / John W. North) for the easy layup.

Six different players registered baskets for Whittier, with every player having a significant hand in the team's eighth win of the young, but aging season. Senior forward Natalia Williams (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Chaparral) found the basket in her limited action at the end of the second half, and senior guard Citlalli Gurrola (La Habra, Calif. / Sonora / Concordia University Irvine) earned just her second block of the season as one of four Poets to reject the Monks. When Whittier's scoring began to slow in the second half as the team worked their way back into game shape after the holiday, they ultimately leaned on stout defensive play to keep them afloat. While the Monks cut the deficit to just five points in the fourth quarter, Whittier prevailed behind a handful of key turnovers late, with Salloom converting on the high percentage scoring opportunities that followed. 

Head Coach Roy Dow and the Poets will be the be the first team to return after the new year, and will host defending SCIAC regular season champion the University of La Verne for a pivotal 7 p.m. game in both teams' return to conference play.

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