By Ron Smith
January 29, 2022
 
(SANTA CLARITA, Calif.) In a battle of top-five teams #5 Westmont Women's Basketball (17-3, 10-2) captured a road victory over #3 The Master's (22-1, 11-1), defeating the Mustangs 64-49. The loss was the first for the Mustangs this year.
 
Over the past three seasons – excluding the 2020-21 COVID-19 impacted season when they did not play -  the two teams have split their regular season games with Westmont winning the second game each year.
 
Defense and ballhandling ability were once again key to the Warriors' victory. The Master's averages 76.7 points per game (best in GSAC), but the Warriors' held the Mustangs to 49 points. Westmont leads the NAIA in defensive, allowing opponents an average of just 49.8 points per game.
 
Westmont ranks second in the NAIA in fewest turnovers committed, averaging just 10.3 per game. Tonight, the Warriors committed just five turnovers compared to 15 by The Master's. That led to an 11-2 advantage in points off of turnovers.
 
Offensively, Westmont made 11 of 28 from 3-point range (39.3%) while holding The Master's to five of 21 (23.8%).
 
Iyree Jarrett led the Warriors in scoring with 17 points while adding four assists and three steals. Stefanie Berberabe produced a double-double of 15 points and 11 assists. She also recorded four rebounds and four steals. Saenz added 12 points and five rebounds.
 
The Warriors took control from the very beginning of the game, jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the first six minutes. Saenz ignited the Warriors' offense with back-to-back threes to start the game. Destiny Okonkwo and Sydney Brown added field goals before Jarrett capped the run with two layups.
 
The Master's responded with an 8-0 run to pull within four (14-10). However, Stefanie Berberabe drained a shot from beyond the arc to give Westmont a 17-10 lead at the end of the first quarter of play.
 
In the second quarter, Westmont matched its 17 points from the opening frame while holding the Mustangs to 12. The Master's pulled within three points (25-22) with 1:44 remaining before the halftime break. However, Westmont responded with a  9-0 run to take a 34-22 advantage into the locker room. After Berberabe scored on a jumper, Saenz nailed another three. Jarrett added a free throw, then, as time ran out, drained a three to give Westmont a 12-point advantage.
 
Westmont maintained its advantage throughout the second half, allowing the Mustangs to get no closer than nine points. The Warriors took their largest lead of the game (16 points) with 34 seconds remaining in the penultimate period on another three from Jarrett.
 
With six game remaining in the Golden State Athletic Conference schedule, Westmont remains in third place in the GSAC standings. That is the result of suffering a forfeit loss to San Diego Christian (7-14, 4-9) on January 15 due to COVID-19 protocols. Had the Warriors played and won that game, The Master's and Westmont would be tied for first.
 
Westmont is currently one-half game behind second-place Hope International (21-2, 11-2) who has played one more conference game than the Warriors. Next Saturday, the Warriors will travel to Fullerton to take on the Royals on their home court. Before that, however, Westmont will take on San Diego Christian in Santee on Thursday evening.