By
Hope Hensley
November 10, 2026
Santa Barbara, Calif. — The Westmont women's basketball team kicked off its 2026–27 campaign on a high note on Monday night, earning a hard-fought 71–67 season-opening victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills at Murchison Gymnasium.
Faced with a physical Toros squad that pressed until the final second, the Warriors relied on a blend of veteran leadership and freshman toughness to defend their home court before embarking on an extensive road stretch.
"This was a huge team victory for us tonight," said Westmont Head Coach
Kirsten Moore. "To start off the season with a win at home against a tough team that really came at us tonight was a great first step. We have so many new players this year and are really just starting our growth curve. So we have a lot to learn, but the grit and toughness this young team showed tonight was impressive and is a great foundation to build upon!"
The Warriors showed balance up and down the roster, combining the steadying force of their senior returners with immediate, physical contributions from their incoming class.
Molly Garnand set the pace for Westmont, recording a double-double with a team-high 15 points and 12 rebounds while adding four assists and a block. Cara Mckell turned in a stellar performance in her collegiate debut, scoring 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting alongside nine rebounds. Returning captain
Mariah Brown orchestrated the offense with 12 points and five assists, while hitting crucial free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Westmont built a 13-point lead in the second half behind a 23-point third quarter, but CSUDH mounted a furious late rally, sinking back-to-back three-pointers in the final 17 seconds to cut the margin to two.
Navine Mallon (5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) and Brown combined for three clutch free throws in the closing 24 seconds, while Mallon recorded a game-sealing block at the buzzer to hold off the Toros.
"From great senior leadership all the way down the line to the tough play of our freshman, we had an entire team fight together out there tonight," Moore added.
With their lone November home contest now in the books, the Warriors turn their full attention to a demanding road schedule. Westmont heads out for four consecutive weeks away from Montecito, playing 10 straight games on the road—including upcoming GNAC-PacWest Crossover stops in Billings, Montana, Costa Mesa, California, and Ellensburg, Washington.
"We are going to need all that toughness and togetherness as we now head on the road for four straight weeks and 10 straight road games against some really tough competition," concluded Moore. "It is going to require a lot out of this young group, but tonight we showed we have the resolve to battle like Warriors on the road ahead!"
