WHITTIER, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's basketball nearly erased a 17-point third-quarter deficit but fell short, dropping its contest to Whittier 72-66 on Saturday evening. The Regals (12-5, 4-4 SCIAC) took the lead late in the fourth quarter but couldn't hold on against the red-hot Poets (14-2, 8-0 SCIAC), who have won their last eight games and sit atop the SCIAC standings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams shot efficiently in the first quarter, but the Poets jumped out to an eight-point lead by creating more chances, outrebounding the Regals 8-3. The Poets opened the second quarter with an 8-2 run to push their lead to 14 points at the 7:16 mark. Timely buckets from Aliya DiMuro, Kaiya Mack, and Janna Holley kept the Regals within single digits before halftime as the Poets led 36-27 at the break.
The Poets scored the first nine points of the second half, extending their lead to 46-29 and forcing head coach Kelli DiMuro to use a timeout.
When the deficit seemed almost insurmountable, the Regals completely flipped the switch. From the 4:44 mark to the third quarter's end, the Regals embarked on a 16-4 run, stunning the Poet crowd. Natalie Villamor knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer to cut what was once a 17-point gap to just four.
The Poets extended their lead to seven at the 7:55 mark of the fourth quarter, but a pair of free throws by Alline Ballard and five quick points from Mack tied the game up for the first time since 2-2. With 4:02 to go, Sara Mills drained a three to get the Regals their first lead of the game, sending the purple and gold into a frenzy.
Down by four with 1:38 on the clock, Ballard converted a shot down low to make it a one-possession game, but the Poets answered to make it 70-66. With 30 seconds left, the Regals grabbed two offensive rebounds during their possession, but couldn't convert to keep them in the game.
THE NUMBERS
- DiMuro: 15 PTS, 9 REB
- Ballard: 12 PTS, 12 REB
- Mack: 10 PTS, 4 STL
FROM HEAD COACH KELLI DIMURO
On the team's resiliency facing a big deficit: "Our team showed heart and determination today. We never stopped believing. We locked in on defense, started making smart plays, and trusted each other to chip away at the lead. That resiliency, that ability to stay composed and focused under pressure, is what brought us back. To go out and take the lead in the fourth shows how much fight this team has. Our shots didn't fall in the last minute but we'll keep fighting."
UP NEXT
The Regals return to Gilbert Arena to take on Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.
