SAN DIEGO - Amy Ogren set a career-high in scoring with 13 points in the first quarter, and ended with a team-best 15 points, as the Point Loma women's basketball team put up 30 points in the first 10 minutes and carried that early momentum to an 81-61 victory over Concordia (CA) on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
 
The Sea Lions improved to 10-5 with the win, and evened their PacWest record at 4-4. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-10 on the season, and to 1-6 in the PacWest.
 
Ogren's 15 points led four Sea Lions in double-figures. She hit all three of her 3-pointers in the first quarter, and finished the game with three assists and a steal. Roya Rustamzada added 14 points, three assists, two blocks, four steals and tied for the game-high in rebounds with Alex Brunk with eight.  Sydney Tonack and Madison West chipped in with 13 points apiece.
 
"It is huge for us when we can get balanced scoring," said PLNU junior Sydney Tonack, "it really pulls our team together on the floor and everyone plays better."
 
That unity showed early as Point Loma put their foot on accelerator in the first quarter by shooting 11-of-16 from the field and building a 30-18 lead over the Eagles. CUI would never get closer than 12 points the rest of the game.
 
"We keep talking about winning quarters and 20 points is our goal," said PLNU head coach Bill Westphal with a smile. "When we have our best five out there we are really good. We just struggle when we get into foul trouble, get tired or get out of rotation. We need to find a way to sustain that intensity even when we go to our bench. I felt we did a good job of that tonight."
 
Point Loma won the battles of both the turnovers and rebounds to aid in their win. The Sea Lions matched their season-low with 10 turnovers in the game while forcing 23 from the Eagles. PLNU outrebounded them 38-33 and matched their bench production with 18 points. Point Loma also outscored them at the charity stripe 18-4 as CUI took just eight attempts in the game.
 
"The secrets to winning are always having fewer turnovers and more free throws than your opponent," Westphal explained. "If you can do those things you are usually going to win the game because you get more opportunities."
 
The Point Loma women's basketball team will be home again this Saturday (Jan. 16) to take on Holy Names starting at 2:00 p.m.