Vanguard too much for Bears

Steve Virgen

At Corona del Sol High in Tempe, Ariz., Lindsay McClellan used to

start every game and earned all-state honors four years. She also

helped lead her team to a state championship.

Things are a bit different at Vanguard University, but McClellan

is adjusting. The freshman guard came off the bench to provide a

spark, scoring 14 points in the Lions’ 93-65 women’s basketball

victory over Pikeville in the Golden State Athletic Conference

Challenge Monday at the Pit.

The GSAC Challenge is a six-team invitational that includes five

squads that reached the NAIA tournament last season.

Vanguard made it to the Final Four last season, and McClellan is

one of six newcomers attempting to help the Lions duplicate that

effort. She came in the game to lead the Lions on a 21-4 run in a

span of just more than four minutes and gave Vanguard a 35-19 lead

with 6:57 left before halftime. McClellan hit two three-pointers

during the run and scored 10 points in the half, as the Lions led,

47-29, at the break.

“Lindsay McClellan gave us a big boost,” Vanguard Coach Russ Davis

said. “She’s very talented. She’s a very gifted athlete. I just have

a lot of good players in front of her.”

Davis said McClellan was ranked as high as 47th nationally by one

recruiting service. She injured her knee before the season started

and has just recently been regaining her speed and health.

“I’m comfortable [coming off the bench],” McClellan said. “It’s

nice to be able to see what’s going on in the game and knowing what

to do.”

McClellan wasn’t the only freshman who was instrumental in the

Lions’ victory. Kelly Schmidt, a 6-foot freshman forward, scored a

game-high 26 points. She was 8 for 13 from the field and 10 for 13

from the free-throw line.

Lacey Burns, another freshman, contributed 14 points, and freshman

Rachel Besse came off the bench to add 11 points.

Lisa Faulkner, a junior transfer from UC Irvine, was also in

double figures with 14 points and the point guard also delivered 16

assists, three short of her record for most assists in a game,

established Nov. 15 in the Lions’ 102-47 romp over La Sierra.

“We played well offensively, but horribly on defense,” Davis said.

“They got a lot of shots they wanted, but they just missed a lot of

shots. That was one of our worst defensive performances in the past

five years. We just won because we outscored them, because we played

so good on offense.”

Vanguard (8-1) shot 54% from the field in the first half (18 of

33) and hit 7 of 13 from behind the three-point line (54%), while

Pikeville (8-7) was 11 of 27 in the first half (40%) and knocked down

just one three-pointer in the game.

Collecting three points in a single possession proved to be

critical for the Lions, be it connecting from behind the arc or a

basket and subsequent free throw, when they went on their 21-4 run.

In addition to McClellan’s two three balls, Lacey Mills, Faulkner and

Cecilia Josefsson also connected from threedom. Burns had a

three-point play, and so did Schmidt.

The Bears came within 35-25 with 5:42 left in the first half, but

the Lions closed it out with a 12-4 run.

The second half saw much of the same of the Lions’ offense.

Vanguard opened the half with an 11-3 spurt, as Schmidt continued to

be a force inside. Faulkner directed the offense. She would penetrate

and either kick out the ball to a shooter or find Schmidt down low.

The Lions built their biggest lead, 82-50, with 5:25 remaining.

McClellan made it 80-50 when she converted a layup after her steal.

Then Besse put in a shot from the post. With 4:55 left, Schmidt had

another three-point play, as the Lions’ fans were hopeful their team

would reach 100 for the second time this season.

Vanguard will cap the final day of the GSAC challenge today at

5:30 p.m. when it takes on Montana-Western. Pikeville,

Montana-Western, The Master’s and Brescia also reached the NAIA

tournament last year.

The Vanguard men’s team will face visiting Westmont in the GSAC

opener tonight at 7:45.

*--*

GSAC Challenge

Vanguard 93, Pikeville 65

Pikeville -- Cody 16, Amburgey 9, Dillon 10, Williams 10, Ryan 14, Wireman 4, Ratliff 2. 3-pt. goals -- Ryan 1. Fouled out -- Dillon. Technicals -- None. Vanguard -- Josefsson 8, Mills 9, Burns 11, Faulkner 14, Schmidt 26, McClellan 14, Besse 11. 3-pt.

goals -- Mills 3, McClellan 2, Faulkner 2, Josefsson 2. Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None. Halftime -- VU, 47-29.

*--*