By Ron Smith
February 8, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) A ten-game winning streak for Westmont Women's Basketball (15-7, 11-4) came to an end in Murchison Gymnasium Saturday night when the Warriors fell to the Sea Lions of Point Loma (18-5, 13-2) by a score of 67-59.
 
The first quarter was a back-and-forth contest with neither team holding more than a five-point lead. With two and one-half minutes remaining in the opening frame, Point Loma held a 15-13 advantage.
 
However, Westmont junior Sage Kramer scored the final seven points of the first period, hitting a triple, scoring on a layup, and producing a buzzer-beating jumper. Kramer's hot hand resulted in a 20-15 Westmont lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
As play resumed in the second quarter, Westmont extended its lead to eight when Mariah Brown buried a shot from downtown after an offensive rebound by Lisa Kiefer. The Sea Lions broke the 9-0 Warrior run with a layup by Eiley Tippins.  Then, Jazmyn Shipp responded with a put-back jumper to make it a 25-17 game.
 
The Sea Lions, however, closed out the remaining seven minutes of the half on a 16-5 run, to claim a 33-30 halftime advantage.
 
Kramer opened the third quarter with another triple, tying the score at 33. After a couple of Sea Lion field goals, Kramer struck again from beyond the arc, pulling Westmont within one at 37-36. After a six-point run by Point Loma, Kramer scored on a jumper and Shipp contributed two field goals to once again pull the Warriors to within one (43-42). The Sea Lions, however, closed out the penultimate period with a 5-1 run, making the score 48-43.
 
A triple by Tavia Rowell extended Point Loma's lead to eight (51-43) to start the final frame before an 8-3 run by the Warriors cut the deficit to just three points (54-51) with 6:46 to play. Bailey Fong and Kramer each hit a three and Fong added a layup.
 
That, however, was as close as the Warriors would get. Point Loma took its largest lead on a pair of free throws by Hannah Golan, making it a 12-point game (65-53) with 3:19 to play. Westmont cut the deficit to six with a layup by Fong, yet another three by Kramer, and a free throw, but that ended the Warrior scoring.
 
Kramer, who made five of nine from long distance, led the team in scoring with 24 points. Fong added another 16 points. Shipp had eight points and 10 rebounds. Kiefer also notched double-digit rebounds with 11 boards. The junior also had seven blocks and six steals.
 
Westmont will take to the road for the next two games. On Wednesday, the Warriors will be at Azusa Pacific (19-4, 13-3) for a showdown with the Cougars. Then on Saturday, the Warriors head north to take on the Urban Knights of Academy of Art (10-12, 3-11).
 
Westmont's final home game of the 2024-25 season will be on Wednesday, February 19 with the Warriors hosting the Lions of Vanguard (14-7, 11-4).