Warriors Take Care of Business, Will Play for Title
Most of Warrior Nation was glued to their computers Monday night. It's been less than a year of California Pacific Conference competition and the impatient Warriors are ready to celebrate. That will come soon enough, and maybe this go-around, but until then, all of Irvine, California is behind the Westcliff women's basketball team, which has already made history, and is ready to make some more after beating La Sierra in the first round of the Cal Pac playoffs Monday night, 56-52.
by BRANDON PETERSEN
Most of Warrior Nation was glued to their computers Monday night.
It's been less than a year of California Pacific Conference competition and the impatient Warriors are ready to celebrate.
That will come soon enough, and maybe this go-around, but until then, all of Irvine, California is behind the Westcliff women's basketball team, which has already made history, and is ready to make some more after beating La Sierra in the first round of the Cal Pac playoffs Monday night, 56-52.
"We definitely started how we wanted to start," Westcliff head coach Kyle Rouse said. "We came out pretty strong both defensively and offensively. We played our game."
If you haven't followed the tale of the 2021-22 Westcliff women's basketball team, then you're in for a story.
Westcliff faced Santa Barbara, Hope, Irvine, Idaho, San Diego, Maters, Northwestern, San Bernardino, Dixie, Bellevue and Dordt.
Then, to be frank, they started their season.
From then on, Westcliff went 13-3, dominating Cal Pac opponents to the tune of 10-2, and cementing their place as the No. 2 seed in the Cal Pac playoffs in their first season of Cal Pac competition.
After battling league-leader UC Merced to a last-second finish, Westcliff understood Monday night that they were one of two favorites in the Cal Pac postseason.
"We have some things to work on for sure," Rouse said. "But most of it is between our ears. We have to be able to handle adversity better than we did tonight."
Westcliff took a commanding double-digit lead into halftime, but struggled to put La Sierra away, and battled a four-point lead most of the final period.
But Westcliff clutched up defensively in the final minutes, claiming two late-game stops and finishing 4-of-4 from the strip to claim the win.
"It was a great way to finish," Rouse said.
Laura Tapia finished with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
Cal Pac league MVP Trinity Vasquez finished with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Bailey Hawkins turned in nine and Sara Weber had five.
Today, the Warriors will play for the school's first league championship against UC Merced.
Merced stole a win from the Warriors on a last-second shot to claim the regular season title game early in February.
Tonight, the Warriors seek their revenge with everything on the line.
To contact Brandon Petersen, e-mail brandonpetersen@westcliff.edu.