SAN DIEGO – Once again, Point Loma put their win streak on the line facing a team they had previously lost to this season. After coughing up the ball 28 times at Fresno Pacific back in mid-December, the Sea Lions ultimately lost 77-74 falling to 2-8 on the season. Since that loss, PLNU has gone 15-2, including tonight's 69-59 victory, and they extended their win streak to 11-straight games.
 
Point Loma got the jump on the Sunbirds early, scoring the first four points of the game, and while Fresno Pacific had their moments the Sea Lions never trailed. Cara Liggins and Grace Brady paced the team with 14 points each, both players doing the majority of their damage in the first half helping the Sea Lions to their 29-24 halftime lead.
 
Sydney Peterson led the charge as Point Loma put up 25 points in the third quarter with Peterson scoring nine of those points. Melanie Quijano scored five of her six points in the third, with four other Sea Lions putting up points in the quarter. PLNU held a 14-point advantage heading into the final quarter of play but the Sunbirds would not hand over an easy win.
 
Eight-straight FPU points to open the fourth prevented Point Loma from putting the game away for good, but a key timeout from head coach Lisa Faulkner refocused her team in the last seven minutes of the game. The Sea Lions refused to give up easy buckets or open looks from deep and found ways to answer each score from Fresno Pacific. Key free throws down the stretch allowed PLNU to stretch their lead late and secure the win.
 
Team Records
PLNU (17-10, 16-5 PacWest), FPU (18-9, 14-7 PacWest)
 
PacWest Implications
The win over FPU secures the Sea Lions at least the four seed in the PacWest tournament, and they will likely face the Sunbirds in the first round in San Rafael.

Turning Point
The Sunbirds cut the Point Loma lead to six early in the fourth quarter, but from that point on the Sea Lions had an answer for every FPU bucket and never allowed them to cut further into the lead.
 
Coach and Player Interview


News and Notes
> All eight of Liggins' boards came in the first half. 
> Freshman Haylee Saurette led all player with 13 rebounds in the game. 
> With six blocks on the night, Brady is just one block shy of totaling 100 on the season and secured her place as third all-time in PLNU history with 188 career blocks.
> Point Loma is one win away from tying their previous high of 17 PacWest wins from the 2016-17 season. 
> Peterson has scored in double digits in 23 of the Sea Lions' 26 games.

Up Next
Point Loma will celebrate Senior Day next Saturday, Mar. 2, when they host Concordia Irvine for their regular season finale in Golden Gym at 2 p.m.