SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma women's basketball team played an outstanding three quarters against Dominican (CA), and then held on for the 72-69 victory as the Penguins stormed back in the fourth quarter (Feb. 11).
 
This was the ninth straight win for Point Loma (17-5, 10-4 PacWest) and the 595th in coach Bill Westphal's career. The victory moved PLNU to within a half-game of Dominican (15-7, 11-4 PacWest) for fourth place in the PacWest standings. It also snapped the Penguins' three-game winning streak.
 
Madison West led four Sea Lions in double-figures 18 points. She hit five of Point Loma's six 3-pointers in the game and had three steals. Sydney Tonack had 17 points and four rebounds on 7-of-8 shooting. Roya Rustamzada dished out a game-high seven assists and grabbed four steals to go along with her 14 points. Alex Brunk added 13 points, five assists and a team-leading seven rebounds.  
 
PLNU led 55-38 entering the fourth quarter but saw their lead dip all the way to three (65-62) with 1:29 remaining. Dominican went 10-for-15 from the field and forced PLNU into five turnovers to score 31 points in the fourth quarter. This was the most points PLNU had allowed in a quarter all season.
 
"We had three good quarters and one terrible quarter," said Point Loma head coach Bill Westphal.  "I told the women after the game, 'you can be a good team or you can be a great team, but if you are going to play like you did in the fourth quarter we aren't even a good team.' We can beat any team on our schedule if we play our best, but that fourth quarter was unacceptable."
 
Despite the Penguins comeback, the Sea Lions did not panic in the final 90 seconds. They knocked down 7-of-10 free throws and Brunk sealed the game by blocking DUC's 3-point attempt with nine seconds remaining.
 
This was the second game for Point Loma in a stretch against five PacWest opponents which have a combined .777 winning percentage. Point Loma won the first two games against Hawaii Pacific and now Dominican. PLNU will now play three straight games against teams that are tied atop the PacWest standings with a 13-1 record.
 
The first game will be Saturday, Feb. 13 at Azusa Pacific. The game will tip at 6:00 p.m. The Sea Lions will then return home to host Academy of Art on Monday and California Baptist on Friday (Feb. 19).  
 
"We have to bring our A-game for four quarters," said Westphal. "We are not good enough to win in just three quarters. We have to get more committed to discipline and we will be fine."