The NAIA No. 3-ranked Sea Lions improved to 11-1 after winning the championship game of 2009 Surf N Slam Tournament versus NCAA DIII Washington & Lee, 86-47. It was the fourth time that PLNU claimed the tournament championship held in Golden Gymnasium.
Two Sea Lions: Amanda Franz and Colleen Planeta were named to the all-tournament team, with Planeta earning tournament MVP honors for the second consecutive year.
PLNU hit 50 percent from the field (35-70) while WLU hit 38.3 percent (18-47). Full court coverage from the Sea Lions for most of the game kept the Generals to fewer shots and gave Point Loma 20 steals.
The Sea Lions may have been nervous when Washington & Lee got a 15-8 head start, but 19 points in the first half from PLNU's all-tournament guard Amanda Franz spurred on a large run and gave the host team a comfortable 43-26 lead going into halftime. PLNU scored another 43 in the next half to end ahead by nearly 39.
Franz had only three more points in remaining 20 minutes of play, but finished with 22 points and five assists. Planeta had 22 points as well, followed by Liah Ector with 14 points and five steals.
Everyone got into the mix, as the large lead allowed the Sea Lions a chance to rest the starters and give the bench an opportunity to show what they can do. Renee Crawford stood out with six points in nine minutes on the court and Julie Walton added five points. Brittany Stanley dished out a pair of assists late.
Bolton Becca led the offense for the Generals with 16 points, followed by Meg Ingram with 11. Washington & Lee fell to 2-4 with the loss.
The Sea Lions will host Hope International University Saturday for the first game of 2010 and a return for good to conference action.
-Nathan Scharn
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS
2009 Point Loma Nazarene (CA)
2008 Point Loma Nazarene (CA)
2007 Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2006 DePauw (IN)
2005 Pt. Loma Nazarene (CA)
2004 Pt. Loma Nazarene (CA)
2003 Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2002 Baldwin-Wallace (OH)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
2008
Colleen Planeta, Pt. Loma Nazarene (CA)
2007 Laura Neuenfeldt, WI-Stevens Point
2006 Liz Bondi, DePauw (IN)
2005 Mica DeHoog, Pt. Loma Nazarene (CA)
2004 Jessica Mercado, Pt. Loma Nazarene (CA)
2003 Tara Schmitt, Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2002 Holly Koepp, Baldwin-Wallace (OH)
