PEEK AT THE WEEK:No. 1 Vanguard set for challenge

Pretender or contender? That is the question posed for the Point Loma Nazarene women’s basketball team, which will take on top-ranked Vanguard Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Vanguard.

Both teams are 7-0 in the Golden State Athletic Conference. But their might not be as much suspense as it would seem. The real question might be: Are the Lions going to go undefeated this season?

That question will remain should Vanguard (12-0) take care of Point Loma Tuesday. Still, at least on paper, it would appear to be a good contest.

Point Loma enters the game ranked No. 13 in NAIA Division I and eager to pull off the upset.

Junior Kerra Sutton-Wodarski is one of the leaders for the Sea Lions. Recently, she was named GSAC Player of the Week. But she scored only four points in PLNU’s 58-54 win over Westmont Saturday.

Meghan McGuire led the Sea Lions with 16 points.

Meanwhile, Coach Russ Davis’ Lions have several weapons that usually result in domination.

Last year, Kelly Schmidt was named NAIA Player of the Year. This year, it just might be Jessica Richter’s turn to receive the honor. Richter is leading the Lions with 19.3 points per game. Schmidt is second on the team with 15.3 points per game.

Rachel Besse (13.1) and Lacey Burns (12.6) also average double figures in scoring.

Besse led Vanguard with 20 points, making 10 of 11 field-goal tries, in its 80-72 home win over No. 19-ranked Azusa Pacific Saturday.

The Lions have also defeated No. 15-ranked The Master’s, 111-50, earlier in conference play.

Here’s a look at some more keys games during the week.

Newport (12-4, 3-0 in league) will have a tough time against sharpshooting Marina. The Vikings broke the state record for three-pointers in a season on Wednesday with 308 and now they are going for the national record (382).

Twice this season they have made 28 three-pointers, a state record.

Look for Newport Harbor Coach Larry Hirst to design a game plan to at least limit Marina’s production from downtown.

The exciting combo guard is averaging 19.2 points per game in conference play and has the Titans (13-3, 4-1 in conference), sitting atop the Big West Standings.

But UC Irvine is looking to move up in the conference after picking up its third road win of the season Saturday at Pacific, where the Anteaters thumped the Tigers, 67-42.

Before the season started, Estancia Coach Steve Crenshaw predicted his Eagles would beat the Mustangs.

Estancia already scored two wins over its rival in the Newport-Mesa Cup. But this game will be more important as it is an Orange Coast League game.

The Estancia boys’ soccer team is the favorite in the Orange Coast League and it will attempt to prove as much Friday when it plays host to Costa Mesa at 3 p.m.

The Mustangs (2-6-2, 0-1 in league) seem to still be trying to find themselves.

In basketball, it looks like Costa Mesa has the upper hand in the boys’ and girls’ games, which will be at Estancia Friday. The girls play at 6 p.m. and the boys are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m.