ATHERTON, Calif. – Vanguard overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and kicked into gear for a 68-60 comeback win against Menlo at Haynes-Prim Pavilion on Saturday.
The Lions shot just 25.7 (9 of 35) percent in the first half, but their overall defensive tenacity and shooting touch in the fourth quarter (7 of 13) helped them outlast the Oaks in an afternoon of Pacific West Conference action. Vanguard closes its two-game road trip with an overall record of 3-4, 2-0 in league play. Menlo dropped its second straight game and moved to 3-5 and 0-2.
In a game of highs and lows, Jaryn Madsen made a critical impact with a career-high 19 points and one block. The junior was a consistent weapon across all four quarters and went 5 of 11 from beyond the arc. Ashlin Crabtree helped enforce the VU press to lead the comeback and tied her career mark of 17 points. Sarah Matossian filled the stat sheet with seven points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Emma Schaaf found seven points and 10 rebounds. Halle Si'i had six points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Hunter Simon picked up a career-high six rebounds, and added four points and two steals.
Vanguard's win was highlighted with a season-best 17 offensive rebounds. They also forced 23 Menlo turnovers and led in points off turnovers by a 20-11 margin. Both teams took a high volume of free throws, but Menlo's misses proved costly. The Lions shot 73.9 (17of 23) percent from the line compared to the Oaks' rate of 59.1 (13 of 22) percent. Vanguard led in steals (12-6) and second-chance points (14-11).
What Happened?: Vanguard scored on its first two trips down the floor, with a Madsen three from the right side and a Matossian 15-footer for a 5-0 start. Menlo's Alberte Frisch notched the Oaks first seven points of the game and launched a 15-2 Menlo run to take a 15-7 lead. The Lions snapped back with a Schaaf downhill drive and an Akilah Kubi connection off an inbound stack. Matossian's two free throws to finish the quarter made it 18-11 Oaks.
Points remained hard to come by in the opening portions of the second quarter as VU's first field goal came after three minutes from Schaaf to make it 22-14 Menlo. Madsen continued to hit after a late rotation from Menlo, which left her open for another triple. The Lions scraped another two points together after three quickfire offensive boards gave Aryanna Hudson a slashing bucket to cut the deficit to 24-19.
With 2:54 left to play in the half, Alexa Silva squeezed out a silky pass from the corner to Matossian who finished through contact for the three-point play. Menlo, who shot 41.7 (7 of 17) percent in the quarter, continued its scoring flow and led 36-26 at halftime.
VU outscored Menlo 22-13 in the third quarter as Madsen again sank a triple out of the gates. The junior would score the first eight points for the Lions in the quarter, whittling the deficit to 42-34. The Oak turnovers began to pile up midway through the period, losing the ball six times in the final 5:53 of the third. Simon secured a steal and chopped Menlo's lead down to 44-42. Madsen's triple soon after gave Vanguard the 45-44 lead, its first since the four-minute mark of the first quarter.
The Blue and Gold were feeling it in the fourth quarter shooting 53.8 (7 of 13) percent from the field to Menlo's 33.3 (4 of 12) percent. Madsen's move inside with sharp footwork and a clever finish with her left hand put the Lions on the board for the final interval. VU zipped the ball around the arc on the next two possessions, as Crabtree clipped back-to-back treys for a 56-51 VU lead. Menlo's window to draw back was hindered by a rocky 16.7 (1 of 6) percent at the free throw line, as the Lions held the Oaks scoreless for the final 4:02 of the game.
What was Said?: "It was a great road trip to start off PacWest play 2-0 on the road," said Head Coach Russ Davis. "It's never easy to sweep on the road. We found ways to win in a game that we struggled in some areas. Hunter came off the bench and gave us some good minutes with great energy and the team fed off of it. Ashlin and Jaryn made some big shots for us and Halle was clutch at the free throw line at the end. Overall, a great team win and I'm proud of them."
What's Next?: The Blue and Gold return to their home floor against Biola on Saturday, December 14 at 4:00 p.m.
