Box Score

Fresno Pacific was unable to overcome 30 points and 19 rebounds from Tugce Canitez as #4 Westmont (19-1, 9-0 GSAC) won its 14th straight, defeating the Sunbirds 80-68 on Tuesday night at the Special Events Center.
 
Jenay Herring led the Sunbirds (11-10, 3-6 GSAC) with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists while Keairra White added 14 points off the bench. Brandi Blackwell and Callie Rohrbacker added 12 points apiece in the loss.
 
FPU scored the opening bucket in the first half, but found itself in an early deficit after a 14-point Westmont run, highlighted by nine straight points by Canitez, who recorded a double-double in the first half alone with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Despite the slow start, FPU would fight to climb back into the game throughout the half. Following a Sunbird timeout, FPU capitalized with a set play resulting in a Rohrbacker three putting the score at 17-7 to put the Sunbird offense back on track.
 
The Sunbirds received a spark off the bench in the first half, as White kept the team in the game with 10 first half points, highlighted by a steal and layup bringing the score within five with eight minutes remaining in the half. Rohrbacker also scored five points off the bench in the half to keep the Sunbirds within 10 at the intermission.
 
Westmont would continue to produce on offense as the first half expired, going into the locker room up 40-30. As a team the Warriors shot 52 percent from the field, scoring 24 points in the paint, as well as out-rebounding the Sunbirds 23-13 in the half.
 
The second half continued the trend, as the Sunbirds had no answer for Canitez who poured in 15 more points and recorded nine more rebounds. The Sunbirds refused to go away though, cutting the deficit to as low as six after a Rohrbacker layup with 9:28 remaining made it 61-55. However, a 10-0 Warrior run would put the game out of reach.
 
Westmont finished the night dominant on the boards, out-rebounding the Sunbirds 46-25 resulting in 18 second-chance points, as Canitez recorded nine offensive rebounds alone. Westmont also received 17 points from Katie Kittle and 15 from Lisa Peterson in the win.
 
The Sunbirds travel to Irvine on Saturday to take on Concordia at 5:30 to continue GSAC play, looking to get back on track against a team they beat 84-79 earlier in the year on December 3rd.

Around the GSAC
#12 Azusa Pacific (H) 77, The Masters 70
#10 Vanguard (H) 104, Hope International 37
Point Loma Nazarene (H) 69, Concordia 57
San Diego Christian (H) 56, Biola 50