(SAN RAFAEL, Calif.) Top-seeded PLNU Women's Basketball took down fourth-seeded Westmont, 62-51, in the PacWest semifinals on Friday in San Rafael to advance to the conference championship game for the first time since 2017-18.
Making its fourth-straight semifinal appearance under Head Coach
Charity Elliott, Point Loma defeated Westmont for the third time this year, and second time in the past week, to tie its NCAA-era program record for wins in a season and book its spot in the PacWest championship.
PLNU's 24 wins this year ties its 2016-17 squad which reached the conference title game for the first of now three times in program history. The Sea Lions are still seeking their first ever PacWest Tournament championship.
Maddie Mersch scored the first six points of the game for Point Loma before a pair of
Shayla O'Neil free throws in the closing seconds of the first quarter gave PLNU a 16-15 lead after one.
The teams continued to trade baskets in the second quarter before
Jocelyn Pascual's lefty layup gave the Sea Lions a 26-23 advantage at the half.
Alli McDonald's 3-pointer then sparked a 7-0 PLNU run in the third, to which the Warriors responded with an immediate 7-0 stretch of their own.
The Sea Lions answered right back though by scoring the next six points, with
Kaylee Byon's outlet pass to O'Neil for a fastbreak lay-in helping the top seed take a five-point lead into the fourth.
Point Loma then opened the final quarter on a 10-2 run, as
Eiley Tippins scored three-straight PLNU baskets. McDonald's corner triple then put the Sea Lions up by a game-high 14 points, with the Warriors getting no closer than six the rest of the way.
Hannah Golan's steal and score with 1:07 all but sealed the victory as part of an 8-0 Point Loma run in the final stretch.
Six PLNU players scored eight points or more, led by 10 apiece from McDonald and Pascual.
Pascual paced a second unit that outscored Westmont's bench, 27-5, with O'Neil pitching in with nine points and Golan adding eight.
Tippins and Byon also scored eight points each for the Sea Lions, as Point Loma nearly doubled Westmont in points in the paint, 38-20.
PLNU's defense was active all game, with five players recording multiple steals. The Sea Lions forced 24 turnovers, converting those into 28 points.
Point Loma (24-5 overall), winners of 10 straight, will now play third-seeded and tournament host Dominican (22-11) in the conference championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Both teams are seeking their first PacWest Tournament title.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
