By Ron Smith
February 2, 2019
 
(ATHERTON, Calif.) Lauren Tsuneishi, Maud Ranger and Kaitlin Larson combined to connect on 10 of 19 shots from beyond the arc to lead #14 Westmont (17-6, 10-3 GSAC) to a 57-43 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over #16 Menlo (16-7, 7-6).
 
Tsuneishi went four of seven from three-point range and lead the Warriors with 14 points. Over the past three games, Tsuneishi has made 14 of 24 three-point field goals (58.3 percent).
 
Ranger, who made four of 11 shots from long range, tallied 12 points and pulled down four rebounds. Larson made two out of three three-point attempts on her way to 13 points and four rebounds.
 
Westmont jumped out to an 8-4 lead to start the game on three-pointers by Ranger and Larson and a layup by Iyree Jarrett (9 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists). However, the Oaks responded with a pair of free throws by Anya Gamez (4 points, 7 rebounds) and a three-point bucket by Mira Love-Sangco (6 points, 4 rebounds) to take a 9-8 lead.
 
Tsuneishi's first three-pointer of the game briefly gave the Warriors the lead before Aliyah Brantley (13 points, 6 rebounds) scored a traditional three-point play to put Menlo up 12-11. A layup by Love-Sangco advanced the Oaks' advantage to 14-11. Both teams would add a free throw before time expired in the opening frame with the scoreboard reading 15-11 in favor of the home team.
 
The Oaks' Jillian Heichel (8 points, 6 rebounds) advanced Menlo's lead to six (17-11) early in the second quarter. With 8:55 remaining before intermission, Tsuneishi cut the lead in half with her second three-pointer. Larson then made it a one-point game with a layup in the paint. With 6:12 to play, Brantley returned Menlo's advantage to three with a layup.
 
With 5:45 to play, Ranger pilfered the ball from Brantley and then drained her second three-point shot of the game to tie the game at 20. On Westmont's next possession, Larson gathered in an offensive rebound and scored on the put-back to return the lead to Westmont (22-20) for the first time in more than eight minutes.
 
Alexis Delovio (3 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals) tied up the game at 22 with a layup for Menlo with 3:50 to go in the half. It would prove to be the last points scored by Menlo before halftime. Coming out of a timeout, Larson buried her second three-pointer to put Westmont back on top 25-22. The Warriors did not relinquish the lead again. A couple of free throws by Tsuneishi completed the first-half scoring and gave Westmont a 27-22 lead to take into the locker room.
 
The third quarter belonged to the Warriors who outscored the Oaks 18-6 to take control of the game. Jarrett scored seven of the Warriors points on three field goals and a free throw while Tsuneishi and Ranger each drained their third three-pointer of the game.
 
Westmont took a 45-28 lead into the final frame, but Menlo scored the first eight points of the final 10 minutes to pull the Oaks to within nine (45-36). However, with 6:48 to play Tsuneishi drained her fourth three-pointer to end the Oaks' run and begin an eight-point run by the Warriors. Sydney Brown (3 points, 8 rebounds) continued the run for Westmont with a layup before Ranger launched her fourth three-point bucket, returning Westmont to a 17-point lead (53-36) with 5:48 to play. The Oaks would get no closer than 14 points the rest of the way.
 
In other GSAC action, #5 The Master's (20-4, 12-1) defeated William Jessup (16-8, 7-6) by a score of 64-43 while #25 Arizona Christian (17-8, 10-3) posted a 95-63 win over San Diego Christian (7-17, 1-11). Eighth-ranked Vanguard (17-6, 8-4) earned a 60-50 road win at OUAZ (9-11, 3-10).
 
The Master's continues to hold a two-game lead over Westmont and Arizona Christian who are tied for second place in the conference standings. Vanguard remains in fourth place, three and one-half behind The Master's. Menlo and William Jessup are tied for fifth place, five games back.
 
Next Thursday, Westmont will travel to San Dimas to take on conference newcomer Life Pacific. Then on Saturday, the Warriors will host Vanguard in a game that is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.