SAN DIEGO - Jessica Escorza scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds but it was not enough as the Point Loma women's basketball team came up on the short end of a 69-58 decision against Bethesda in a non-conference game on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
 
The loss drops the Sea Lions to 1-2 on the season, as the Flames improved to 2-4.
 
This was the second time in three contests this season that Escorza has reached the 20-point plateau. She went 7-of-16 from the field and 8-of-12 at the free throw line. PLNU also got 14 points from Madison West, who hit four 3-pointers in the game. These two student-athletes combined nearly two-thirds of the Sea Lions points.
 
"We need an inside presence," said Point Loma head coach Bill Westphal. "Right now we are just a two-man team. We need others to step up and help with the scoring load."
 
The Sea Lions started slow and trailed 31-24 at the half. They came out and scored the first seven points of the second half to tie the game and eventually took the lead at 49-45 with just less than 10 minutes left. However, that lead was short-lived as the Flames answered right back with a 17-4 run to take a nine-point lead (62-53). The Sea Lions would cut it to four points on a pair of Jessica Escorza free throws with 2:57 left but that is as close as PLNU would get.
 
Bethesda's duo of Lisette Longomo and Charmaine Nelson cause Point Loma fits on defense all night. Longomo had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting to lead the Flames. Nelson came off the bench to record a double-double with 18 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
 
Point Loma will look to right the ship on Saturday, Nov. 22 when it hosts UC Colorado Springs in its annual Homecoming game at 6:00 p.m.