ANAHEIM, Calif. – Vanguard women's basketball opened the season for real Wednesday night and took on Bethesda University. The Lions extinguished the Flames 125-37, with some of the newcomers showcasing their talent. Bethesda drops to 0-5 on the year.
What Happened? The Blue and Gold got the first 21 points of the game and the lead was never in question. The Lions forced 36 turnovers, only committing 10 of their own, which contributed mightily to the large margin of victory. Sarah Matossian (SO/Laguna Niguel, CA) had quite the night to open the season, as she dropped 24 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists for the game. She shot 9-for-15 from the field and seven of her rebounds came from the offensive glass. Halle Si'i (FR/Long Beach, CA) was 7-for-13 from the floor, totaling 18 points. She just missed a triple-double, as she came away with eight rebounds and 16 assists. That is tied for the 10th-most assists in a single game in program history, equaling Lisa Faulkner, who did it once in 2003 and again in 2005. Jaryn Madsen (FR/Warden, WA) came off the bench and made 11 points and notched six rebounds as well, delivering a strong start to her VU career.
Of course, the veterans were dominant as well, beginning with Melissa Akullu (JR/Kampala, Uganda). She was second on the team with 23 points, making 11 of her 14 shots for the game. She also had five rebounds. Lauren Baumgartner (SR/Meridian, ID) had 10 points and three boards, with Airiana Madanski (JR/Gilbert, AZ) making two three-pointers for six total points. Faith Boss (FR/Torrance, CA) impressed, as she played the most minutes of her career and went 5-for-7 from downtown to collect 17 points in 17 minutes of action. Estefania Giner (SR/Chihuahua, Mexico) had eight rebounds and six points, with Alexa Silva (SO/Lemoore, CA) making three shots from beyond the arc for nine total points. Hannah Monty (SR/Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) swooped in for four rebounds toward the end of the game and went 1-2 from the free-throw line.
Vanguard shot 53.8% from the floor for the game, 39.5% from three-point range, and 54.5% from the charity stripe. Bethesda shot 27.7% from the floor for the game and was limited to six points in both the third and fourth quarters.
What was Said? "Tonight, the ladies came out aggressive, and they competed for the entire game," said Head Coach Russ Davis. "We're still in a learning process and playing without some key players, but we're adjusting nicely. Our new players really contributed tonight and showed that they will have a big impact on our team and season."
What's Next? The team will head down to the San Diego Christian Tournament and take on No. 25 Rocky Mountain out of Montana. The contest is slated for Saturday, November 12, with a noon tip-off.
