Box Score WHITTIER, Calif. (Jan. 3, 2025) – Freshman
Jordan Taylor (Oakland, Calif. / Oakland Technical) led a slew of young Whittier College women's basketball players in stepping up to defeat Nelson University on Monday afternoon.
The Poets handled an overmatched Nelson team, but had to overcome some early adversity thanks to the void left by the resting
Rhe Nae Leach (Moreno Valley, Calif. / John W. North). It took Whittier some time to find its offensive identity without the reigning SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Year in the lineup, but once they did, they took off as a collective whole. Taylor, who is typically one of the first players off the bench with Leach in the lineup, asserted herself to the tune of 15 points off six field goals and a trio of free throws. Taylor was not the only Poet to find her way into double-figures, however. Freshman
Kennedy Perkins (Tehachapi, Calif. / Tehachapi) scored 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while lineup mainstay
Lorita Salloom (Santa Clarita, Calif. / Saugus / College of the Canyons) dumped in 14 points in limited action.
The most impressive point the Poets made on Wednesday came on the defensive end. Whittier held Nelson to just two points in a third quarter in which the Poets themselves scored 21 of their 66 points for the afternoon. A big reason for this had to do with the takeaways, as Whittier forced Nelson into committing 32 turnovers, more than half of which resulted in steals for the Purple & Gold. Of those 17 steals, Taylor, Perkins and Salloom combined for 11 of them. Between the second and third quarter, the Poets outscored the Warriors 39-7, firmly putting the game out of reach for the Arizona-based Nelson University.
Monday also provided an opportunity for sophomore guard
Yaneli Rosales (San Diego, Calif. / Mount Miguel) to hone her game as a facilitator. The second-year riser had seven assists in 28 minutes, chipping in with five points and four rebounds to boot.
Head Coach Kristen Dowling and the Poets will return on Wednesday, Jan. 8 when they travel to Chapman University for a pivotal matchup at 7 p.m.
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