COSTA MESA – The collective sigh of relief emanating from the Orange Coast College Gym offset the tortuous last few minutes of Saturday's Golden State Athletic Conference showdown between women's basketball giants Vanguard and The Master's.

Reigning GSAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Melissa Akullu blocked a potential game-winning layup by TMU's Nicole Chuang with three seconds left, denying the Mustangs the chance to complete a desperate comeback and lifting the Lions to a 65-64 victory.

VU improved to 8-2 on the year and 2-0 in the GSAC.

The Mustangs (13-2, 1-1) trailed by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter and still remained down by 13 with just 3:33 left. But a 15-3 TMU run over a three minute span wiped out almost all of VU's lead. A VU turnover with 21 seconds remaining put the ball in the hands of Chuang, who had team-high totals of 18 points, three triples and five assists.

Akullu's block culminated another impressive night for the senior All-American. She finished with game-high totals of 30 points and 17 rebounds, shooting 13 of 23 from the field and making four steals, while playing nearly all 40 minutes.

Nine of her 17 rebounds came on the offensive end, allowing the Blue and Gold to score 17 second chance points.

Halle Si'i finished with 14 points and two steals. She made 6 of 7 from the foul line.

Sarah Matossian distributed the ball exceptionally well, tying her career high with eight assists on an array of high-low passes that Akullu converted inside for layups. Matossian also impacted other aspects of the game with six rebounds and three steals.

Alexa Silva was huge in the fourth period, scoring all nine of her points with three clutch triples.

The Lions shot 39.1 (25 of 64) percent for the game, but improved substantially as the game wore on, hitting at a 46.9 (15 of 32) clip in the second half. The Mustangs finished an even 50.0 (24 of 48) percent overall, but managed just 7 of 22 (31.8%) efficiency from distance.

Joining Chuang in double figures was Kelly Lotz with 16 points before she fouled out early in the fourth quarter.

What Happened?: The Lions used a big third period to outscore the Mustangs 23-10, turning a five-point halftime deficit into a 47-39 lead.

VU continued the momentum into the final period as Silva helped ignite a 10-3 run, draining a pair of three-pointers. Si'i also got loose for a bucket, and Akullu's layup on the break gave VU a 57-42 lead with 6:55 to go. The Lions stayed in front by 13 as Silva's third triple of the quarter resulted in a 62-49 advantage at the 3:33 mark.

That's when TMU mounted its comeback. Laney Grider was fouled on a three-point attempt, and she sank all three free throws to get the Mustangs to within 62-52. The Lions turned the ball over the next two possessions and TMU capitalized with layups from Lexi Hernandez and Chuang. 

Leading 62-56, Si'i made 1 of 2 from the charity stripe for a seven-point VU cushion. But Chuang, who had nine points in the fourth, drilled two straight threes as TMU trimmed the deficit to 63-62 with 1:18 remaining.

The Lions committed six turnovers over the final five minutes, and gave the ball away again after Chuang's three. Fortunately, Lexi Hernandez missed both free throws after drawing a foul. Akullu grabbed the rebound after the second miss and found Ashlin Crabtree with a long pass that she converted into a layup with 38 seconds remaining. 

Marin Lenz rushed up the court and scored just five seconds later to bring TMU back within one again. The Lions called timeout but committed their seventh turnover of the period, giving TMU the ball with the chance to win.

However, Akullu's heroics shut the door.

The Lions led 14-11 after one quarter as all five starters got into the scoring column, including five points from sophomore Jaryn Madsen.

The Master's outscored the Lions 18-10 in period two, shooting 50.0 (7 of 14) percent in the frame. The Lions countered at 28.6 (4 of 14) percent, while missing all six of their three-point attempts. Lotz scored seven consecutive points to give TMU an 18-16 lead.

Chuang completed a 16-4 TMU run with a three at the 3:34 mark, giving the Mustangs their largest lead at 27-18. Si'i and Akullu combined for VU's final six points to bite into the deficit as the teams went into intermission with TMU leading 29-24.

The Lions dominated in the third quarter, outscoring the Mustangs 9-2 over the first four minutes. Akullu's layup gave the Blue and Gold a 33-31 lead, but she was just getting started. The Kampala, Uganda native had 16 points in the period, and another layup put the Lions up 45-39 with 45 seconds to go. Si'i knocked down two free throws to provide VU with a seven-point lead going into the final 10 minutes.

Why Is It Important?: Akullu posted her third 30-point game of the season and the eighth of her career. She is averaging 28.0 points over the last four games.

What Was Said?: "Melissa was huge tonight. Facing double teams and getting 30 points, with a game-winning block with almost no time on the clock," said Head Coach Russ Davis. "Alexa made three big threes that were really needed and huge for us. We were very sloppy tonight and can't wait until practice Monday to clean some things up. The Master's is an excellent team and never quit and had a great comeback. They are for sure a National Tournament team. The GSAC is really good this year. I'm pleased that we got the win, especially with Halle fouling out. When you don't play well, give credit to the other team. We found a way to win and that's what good teams do."

What's Next?: VU continues GSAC play with a home game against Jessup on Thursday, January 13 at Orange Coast College. Tip time is 5:30 p.m.