AZUSA, Calif. - The Point Loma women's basketball team saw its nine-game winning streak snapped at Azusa Pacific, 74-65, on Monday, Jan. 16.
 
The loss was the first for the Sea Lions (14-3, 8-2 PacWest) since their PacWest opener on Dec. 1. It dropped them to third place in the PacWest Conference standings, a half-game behind second-place Hawaii Pacific. Azusa Pacific (8-10, 6-4 PacWest) moved into sixth place with the win.
 
After a solid first quarter, in which they made eight baskets and put up 23 points to take a 23-17 lead, Point Loma could not find the bottom of the net. The Sea Lions made just 13 baskets the rest of the way and shot 29.6 percent in the game, including going 1-for-22 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Azusa Pacific hit 54 percent of its shots from the field, and 9-of-20 from behind the arc.
 
"It is tough win shooting only 29 percent, but we didn't execute well and we needed to be able to find other ways to score," said Point Loma head coach Lisa Faulkner. "The game boiled down to 3-pointers. We had good looks, but we rushed and didn't knock them down.
 
"APU shot the ball well and took advantage of our mistakes," continued Faulkner. "You have to be locked in against good teams, especially on the road."
 
Alex Brunk posted her second straight double-double, and fourth of the season, with a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. Eight of boards came on the offensive end and she had a career-high seven steals, while knocking down all 12 of her free throw attempts. However, even Brunk was not immune to the cold shooting night for the Sea Lions, as she went just 5-of-18 from the field.
 
Kassidy Gengenbacher again came off the bench to score in double-figures as she posted 13 points. She was the only Sea Lion to hit a 3-pointer. She also notched four steals as the Sea Lions had 18 in the game. PLNU stayed in the contest despite their poor shooting with a tremendous performance from the charity stripe, where it knocked down 22-of-25 shots, and by forcing APU into 26 turnovers (only 11 for Point Loma).
 
Abigail Goodsell led Asuza Pacific with 18 points. She was 6-of-12 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Zoe March added a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

APU took a 36-35 lead at the half. PLNU retook the lead early in the second half but a 20-5 run by APU, that extended from the third quarter late into the fourth, was the difference. Point Loma was allowing their opponents to score just 56 points per game, best in the PacWest. This is just the second time all season the Sea Lions have allowed more than 70 points in a game. 
 
"The loss stinks but it is good to deal adversity and get better," said Faulkner. "We bounce back from this loss by working hard in practice and getting ready to face Concordia."
 
Point Loma will host Concordia (CA) on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.