Pfohl, Lions too much for Pt. Loma

COSTA MESA — Host Vanguard University sent 5-foot-4 point guard Sarah Boyd out to jump for the tipoff against 6-2 Point Loma Nazarene All-American center Colleen Planeta Tuesday night.

But when Boyd watched passively as Planeta skied to gain control of the ball for her team, it proved to be the last passive act for the No. 5-ranked hosts, who proceeded to attack relentlessly en route to a 70-53 Golden State Athletic Conference women’s basketball victory over the No. 2-ranked Sea Lions.

The win lifted Vanguard to 14-2, 10-2 in conference and knocked Point Loma (20-2, 11-2) out of first place, which is now occupied by No. 9-ranked Azusa Pacific (18-4, 11-1). The Lions, who have won six of the last seven conference championships, are now a game out of first and a half-game behind second-place Point Loma.

Azusa Pacific, which beat Vanguard, 101-92 in Azusa on Jan. 16, visits Vanguard on Feb. 20.

“We’re starting to hit our stride a little bit now,” Vanguard Coach Russ Davis said. “We’re starting to play with a little bit of a swagger. We have got to remember we’re the defending champions. We’re the ones who have dominated this conference the last 10 years. We’ve got to play with a swagger and a chip on our shoulder and we have been the last four games. We’ve still got a way to go, but I’m excited.”

The Lions exhibited their swagger by using dribble penetration to gash the visitors’ two-three zone, then distributing the ball inside, as well as to the three-point line, to create quality shots.

Senior guards Sarah Boyd and Bridgette Reyes were catalysts, finding gaps off the dribble and frequently finding 6-0 junior center Molly Pfohl in the paint.

Pfohl amassed 22 points and 12 rebounds in what Davis said was the best game of her career. She made eight of 12 field-goal tries, many of which where short shots in the face of the taller Planeta, who wound up fouling out with 2:43 remaining.

“I thought Molly was fantastic inside,” Davis said. “She didn’t hesitate. And I thought [Boyd with four assists] and [Reyes with five] were amazing with those dump passes.”

Boyd, who has typically been a pass-first floor leader, had 17 points and four assists.

“Sarah is playing off the charts right now,” Davis said.

Boyd’s two three-pointers doubled those converted by Point Loma, which one for 14 from beyond the arc.

Vanguard was seven of 23 from three-point range (30.4%) and shot a modest 38.5% from the field. But the Lions won the rebounding battle, 46-31, and had 17 offensive boards.

“We really stepped up our defense and our rebounding and I think that’s what won this game,” Boyd said after Vanguard held Point Loma to a season-low scoring output.

But Vanguard also benefited from an offensive approach it did not have in the 80-70 loss at Point Loma on Dec. 1.

“We attacked them,” Davis said. “When we stopped attacking them [after building a 14-5 lead that eventually became a 27-26 deficit with 4:11 left in the first half], they got back in the game. I told our players, ‘Listen, how’d we get our lead? We’ve got to attack, attack and attack.’ ”

Boyd said it was a much different offense than the first Point Loma contest.

“We watched the film from last time and we just passed [the ball] around,” Boyd said. “We weren’t attacking . We didn’t get anyone in foul trouble. We didn’t get anybody to the free-throw line. We had to attack, if we wanted to beat them.”

Vanguard ended the half on a 7-2 run and just minutes into the second half, a driving Boyd layup triggered an 8-0 spurt that gave the Lions a 12-point cushion.

Point Loma never got closer than 10 from there, as it saw its 14-game winning streak halted.

Planeta, who netted 11 of 16 field-goal tries, including her team’s lone three-pointer, had 26 points and six rebounds.

But the rest of the Sea Lions combined to go 10 for 38 from the field (26.3%).

“The times we have beaten them, Planeta has gotten hers, but we stopped everyone else,” Davis said.

Vanguard had 20 points off turnovers and 20 second-chance points. The Sea Lions had 11 and seven points, respectively, in those two categories.

“I think we kind of sent a message out that we’re back to playing Vanguard basketball,” Boyd said.

Golden State Athletic Conference

Vanguard 70, Point Loma Nazarene 53

PLN – Hanson 5, Planeta 26, Ector 9, Franz 6, Arriola 2, Trotter 5.

3-pt. goals – Planeta 1.

Fouled out – Ector, Planeta.

Vanguard – Copeland 7, Pfohl 22, Boy 17, Reyes 11, Blied 2, Neves 6, Beavor 3, Johnson 2.

3-pt. goals – Boyd 2, Neves 2, Reyes 1, Copeland 1, Beavor 1.

Halftime – VU, 35-31.