Lions capture tourney title

COSTA MESA — Amid a string of lasts for the seniors of the Vanguard University women’s basketball team, there was room for at least one first.

With its 71-56 victory over visiting Point Loma Nazarene in the championship game of the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament Monday at The Pit, this Vanguard unit became the first to cap a 20-0 conference regular season by winning the conference tournament title.

Vanguard (28-0), ranked No. 1 all season in NAIA Division I, went 20-0 in the GSAC last season, but was upset in the tournament semifinals. The Lions have won five straight conference regular-season crowns. They now have won three conference tournament titles in the last four years.

It was only the second time the Lions, who will surely have the No. 1 seed in the NAIA Tournament, March 14-20, in Jackson, Tenn., finished an unbeaten conference campaign by winning the conference tournament. Vanguard went 12-0 in the GSAC in 1997-98, then claimed the tournament crown as well.

But the lasts Monday may be remembered as long as the tournament triumph, which was followed by a ceremony in which the Lions cut down one net.

“For us seniors, this was the last time dressing before a game in our locker room, the last time getting taped in our training room,” said Vanguard senior Kelly Schmidt, who next week will be named a four-time All-American who has rewritten the school record book in her four monumental seasons.

“It was kind of surreal tonight,” said Schmidt, the 2006 NAIA and GSAC Player of the Year who had 20 points and seven rebounds for the winners. “But it was a lot of fun.”

Schmidt was recognized in a brief pregame ceremony, during which Coach Russ Davis presented her a basketball with her career exploits written on it.

Junior Jessica Richter, the GSAC Player of the Year this season, had some fun of her own. She collected a game-high 31 points, while chipping in six rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Seniors Lacey Burns and Tiari Goold added their indelible marks on the victory, while senior starter Rachel Besse also contributed to a memorable evening.

Burns, a forward, had nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Goold, the team’s point guard, led the Lions with nine assists and six steals. Goold also added four rebounds to her two points.

Besse, a 6-2 center, had two points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal.

Senior Andrea Jacobson had four points and four rebounds off the bench.

“I thought we played really good defense for the first 30 minutes,” Davis said. “But then we got a little tired and we had a few breakdowns.”

The Lions’ spirited defense helped limit the No. 7-ranked Sea Lions (24-7) to 20% shooting in the first half (five for 25), when the visitors committed 10 of their 21 turnovers.

Vanguard made 12 of 30 field-goal tries in the first 20 minutes to claim a 34-15 halftime lead.

Then, after the hosts opened the second half with an 8-0 run, Pt. Loma began finding some offensive success.

The Sea Lions were 15 of 27 from the field in the second half (55.6%), and a 12-0 run midway through the second period pulled them within 53-39.

After a Richter three-pointer capped a 7-0 Vanguard surge, Pt. Loma put together a 12-4 burst that pulled it within 64-51.

But that was as close as the Sea Lions, led by junior guard Kerra Sutton-Wodarski’s 22 points, came.

Pt. Loma, which has lost three times to the Lions this season, will also venture to Tennessee for the NAIA Tournament.

“They’re a very good team,” Davis said of the San Diego-based school.

Davis, ever vigilant about his team playing the game and not the score, called three second-half timeouts in order to point out some of his squad’s defensive lapses.

Golden State Athletic ConferencePt. Loma Nazarene -- Planeta 6, Manjarrez 7, Sutton-Wodarski 22, Dove 12, Dotson 1, McGuire 5, Ector 3.

Tournament

Final

Vanguard 71,

Pt. Loma Nazarene 56

3-pt. goals -- McGuire 1, Sutton-Wodarski 1, Manjarrez 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Vanguard -- Schmidt 20, Burns 9, Besse 2, Richter 31, Goold 2, Jacobson 4, McClellan 3.

3-pt. goals -- Richter 4, Burns 2, McClellan 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- 34-15, VU.