SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Vanguard began the GNAC/PacWest conference crossover with a narrow 70-66 loss against Central Washington at Murchison Gymnasium. Trailing for most of the match, Vanguard rallied in the fourth with a 9-0 run to take the lead 64-63 with 2:10 remaining. The Wildcats weathered the storm however, scoring two straight baskets and sinking the game with three late free throws. VU's defeat puts them at 0-3 in the young season, while the Wildcats escaped the evening with their perfect record (3-0) still intact.

Halle Si'i led the Blue and Gold with 17 points and picked up four rebounds. Aryanna Hudson went off for 16 points (7-of-14) and five assists. The freshman also helped lead the late comeback, as she scored or assisted on 11 of VU's 17 fourth-quarter points. PacWest player of the week Sarah Matossian had 12 points, four assists, and a team-high nine rebounds. Hunter Simon scored six points, going 3-for-4 from the field.

Both teams were fairly even in points in the paint (16), fast break points (6-3 VU), and second-chance points (7-5 VU). Vanguard's largest statistical advantages came from bench points (27-7) and points off turnovers (10-0). Central Washington's Asher Cai tallied a season-high 28 points (8-for-17) with nine rebounds to lead all scorers.

What Happened? Emma Schaaf grabbed the first VU points of the game before the Wildcats created some distance by leaping ahead 13-4. Hudson came off a screen and dished a pass into Simon, who finished down low to make it 13-6. After another CWU basket, VU cranked out an 11-2 stretch and finished off the final two seconds of the quarter with a Hudson bucket to make it 18-17 Vanguard.

The second quarter remained close, as both teams settled into a back-and-forth rhythm. Halfway through the quarter, the Wildcats broke away on an 8-0 run to jump out to their largest lead of the night at 39-29. The Lions battled back with a triple from Hudson and a sneaky steal from Simon, who finished on the inside to make the halftime score 39-34 CWU.

The game became much tighter in the second half, but VU's shooting for the third quarter (29%) gave CWU a a slight cushion to lead throughout the interval. Both sides traded three-pointers, as triples from Schaaf and Jaryn Madsen made the score 41-40 Central Washington. Si'I's 4-for- performance 4 from the free throw line also helped the Blue and Gold stay close, as the quarter ended 57-49 CWU.

VU were within six after a Madsen jumper to start the final period. Cai would score four of the next six points to make it 63-55 Wildcats. The 9-0 Lion run started with Ashlin Crabtree and Hudson combining on two straight possessions to cut the lead to one (63-62 CWU). Then VU converted off an inbound pass to Matossian, who guided the ball off the glass and in for the 64-63 VU lead. The next two possessions for Vanguard produced narrow misses, with a layup that rolled around the cup, and a tight three-ball that would not go. Conversely, the Wildcats would score on their next trips with a fadeaway and layup off the glass to make it a 67-64 CWU edge. Though Si'I hit a jumper out of the Lion timeout, Central Washington controlled the clock and won the game with three final free throws.

What was Said?  "We got better tonight and continue to learn that every possession matters," relayed Head Coach Russ Davis.  "Aryanna played a great game and kept us in the game with a chance to win.  We will keep getting better playing these types of teams."

What's Next? The Blue and Gold will face a new GNAC opponent in Northwest Nazarene tomorrow, November 16, at 5 pm.