COSTA MESA, Calif. – Point Loma Nazarene was defeated by NAIA No. 11-ranked Vanguard 69-42 in a First Round Game of the GSAC Tournament Wednesday night. The Sea Lions bow out of the tournament with the loss and end the year with a 17-14 overall record.

Tournament three-seed VUSC improves to 23-5 and advances to the semifinals where they will meet up with Azusa Pacific (23-6) who defeated Fresno Pacific in another GSAC First Round game this evening.

The shorthanded Sea Lions, playing without All-GSAC honoree Nyla Bailey and starter Kylie Berlinski, had trouble mustering enough offense to compete with the high-powered Lion squad.

Vanguard led from start-to-finish Wednesday, taking a 10-point lead less than six minutes into the first half. At the break the score was 33-19, VUSC.  

The Lions extended their advantage to a game-high 32 points at 7:31 in the second period before settling for a 27-point triumph.

The Lions, who lead all GSAC teams in three-pointers made, were good on only 4-12 from long-range Wednesday. But Vanguard, which has been led all season by the All-GSAC duo of Paige Halberg and Esther Timmermans, got all the scoring they needed inside the arch.  

Taylor Belmont led the Lions with 14 points. Timmermans had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Maree Drennan added eight points and Allison Burns had seven points.

Senior Crissa Jackson paced the Sea Lions with 12 points before fouling out, with fellow senior Brianna Colon adding 10 points and six rebounds. Joelle Herron and Andrea Campbell each pulled in six boards.

PLNU shot 27 percent and made 6-22 three-pointers. The Lions shot 41 percent and outrebounded the Sea Lions 47-38.