(AZUSA, Calif.) PLNU Women's Basketball nearly opened its regular season with a second straight win over an NCAA West Regional team from last year, leading Cal Poly Pomona for most of the game before the Broncos edged the Sea Lions, 71-66, at the PacWest/CCAA Conference Challenge on Saturday.
Point Loma jumped out to an immediate 4-0 lead, with
Kaylee Byon scoring on the team's first possession of the game.
After maintaining that four-point lead at the end of the opening quarter, PLNU went on a 6-0 run in the second, which included a 3-point play from
Tavia Rowell, to extend its advantage to as many as 12.
The Broncos battled back to score nine of the final 10 points in the first half, as the Sea Lions led 30-26 entering the locker room.
In the third quarter, an
Alli McDonald 3-pointer got PLNU's lead back up to nine, as McDonald joined the 1,000 Point Club for her collegiate career.
Maddie Mersch's tip-in restored a double-digit advantage for the Sea Lions, only for the Broncos to close out the quarter strong yet again with back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a one-possession game going into the final period.
Point Loma then led until the 4:44 mark in the fourth, when Cal Poly Pomona took its first lead since the opening quarter.
Byon's midrange jumper then got the Sea Lions to within one in the final minute, but the Broncos held on to win a closely contested battle between two talented teams.
Byon, Rowell and Mersch led the team in scoring with 12 points apiece, as Rowell went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
McDonald scored seven points and added 11 rebounds, while
Grace Moyers led the second unit with eight points in just 11 minutes.
Point Loma (1-1 overall) returns to the court on Wednesday at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Tip-off in Carson is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
