THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Dec. 3, 2025) – The Whittier College women's basketball team opened SCIAC play on Wednesday night against a strong California Lutheran squad receiving votes in the latest D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll. The Poets competed through stretches and put together multiple scoring surges, but the Regals' pace and perimeter shooting ultimately proved too much in a 47-75 road loss.
Whittier opened the game with confidence, knocking down a trio of early threes and shooting 45 percent in the first quarter. But Cal Lutheran answered with a series of long-range makes to build its advantage, and despite a strong third period from the Purple and Gold, the Regals continued to capitalize in transition and off turnovers.
Shushan Krikorian (McLean, Va. / McLean / Glendale College) and Brooklyn Giles (Fairfield, Calif. / Early College High School / Cal State Los Angeles) paced the Poets with 11 points each. Krikorian shot an efficient 4-for-7 from the field, while Giles added nine rebounds, five steals, and several key defensive stops during Whittier's best stretches. Xochitl Hood (Whittier, Calif. / Troy / Fullerton College) provided reliable scoring off the bench with eight points, and Jadyn Patterson (San Jose, Calif. / Valley Christian / California State University, Stanislaus) chipped in five points and three assists while helping initiate the offense.
Whittier's most complete quarter came after halftime, where the Poets shot 56 percent and generated quality looks inside. Freshman contributions continued as well, with minutes from Lanakila Nitta (Honolulu, Hawaii / Kamehameha), Helen Rosales Beltran (San Diego, Calif. / Lincoln), and Bella Blum (Manhattan Beach, Calif. / Mira Costa / El Camino College) adding depth to the rotation.
Head Coach Kristen Dowling the Poets are now 3–3 overall and 0–1 in SCIAC play. They return home to Dave Jacobs Court on Saturday, December 6th, for their first home conference matchup against the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas at 4 p.m.
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