SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- With an out-right championship on the line, Vanguard women's basketball traveled south to Point Loma for the second meeting of the season with the Sea Lions.  Both teams won two quarters, but PLNU had a 30-20 edge over the middle two frames to take a 56-51 victory a stake down at least a share of the Pacific West Conference crown.  Vanguard drops to 16-8 overall and 14-4 in the conference, with PLNU going to 21-5, 16-2. 
 
Sarah Matossian was strong on both ends, as she led all players with 12 rebounds (six offensive, six defensive) and 14 points, which included a 4-for-6 mark from downtown.  The next closest rebounder was PLNU's Alli McDonald, who nabbed six in total.  Point Loma had an edge in the free-throw department with an 8-for-9 mark compared to VU's 2-of-6 line.
 
What Happened?  Ashlin Crabtree countered the opening layup from the home side with a slicing run and finish, with Matossian collecting the first of her five assists (tied for a team-high).  Point Loma snuck out to a 7-2 lead over the next two minutes but two Matossian triples would keep the Lions in touch with the Sea Lions.  Down 11-8, a layup by Emma Schaaf tied the contest at 11-11 with 4:09 left in the first and Matossian's third trey of the period gave the Lions their first lead of the game.  A layup by Halle Si'i upped the Vanguard lead to 16-11 with 2:46 to go, the largest VU lead in the period.  PLNU made a layup with 1:02 on the clock but Aryanna Hudson sealed the half with a tip-in at the horn to shove the VU lead to 18-15.
 
Matossian was nearly perfect in 10 minutes, as she went 3-for-3 from downtown, nabbed five rebounds, dished out two assists, made two steals, and scored half of Vanguard's points in the frame.
 
Si'i floated a jumper inside the key to start the scoring in the second quarter, but there was more defense than offense over the first five minutes, as both teams combined for only four baskets.  Matossian drilled her fourth triple of the day with 2:42 remaining to send the Blue and Gold ahead 26-19, but that would be the high-water mark for VU in the contest.  Point Loma struck for eight unanswered points to reverse the scoreboard and lead 27-26 at intermission and VU would never lead again.  The Lions went from shooting 46.7% in the first period to 25% in the second act.
 
The Sea Lions enlarged their advantage out of the break with a 6-2 streak over the opening three minutes.  Layups from Jaryn Madsen and Matossian kept the hosts honest and an Akilah Kubi layup off the window put VU down 39-36 with 2:47 left.  But that was the only time PLNU allowed the Lions to get within a single possession in the period and ended the third on a 6-2 run to establish a 45-38 lead.  The Lions went 1-for-10 from downtown during the second and third periods, denting the comeback trail.
 
Point Loma vaulted ahead by 12 with eight minutes left but the Blue and Gold still challenged the Sea Lions, carving the gap down to six points over the next five minutes.  Crabtree buried a three on a catch-and-shoot pass from Matossian and both Schaaf and Si'i sunk layups.  Another Crabtree triple with 45 seconds to go brought the score down to 56-51, but there it would stay, as neither side scored again.
 
Si'i tied Matossian with five helpers and netted 10 points.  Schaaf had four rebounds, nine points, and two points, while Crabtree had eight points.  The Blue and Gold shot 37.5% from the floor in the game, while PLNU had a 47.8% rate.  The Lions outshot Point Loma from downtown (7-for-26 compared to 4-of-16) but PLNU had a 32-24 edge in points in the paint.
 
Why is it Important?  Point Loma has its hands on the trophy, and if they win out, the title is theirs alone.  However, a slipup to Menlo and/or Westmont would allow VU and APU back in the mix.  This was the first loss to PLNU since December 1, 2009.
 
What's Next?  The Lions will host Dominican on Thursday night for a 5:30 p.m. game, the first in time in 18 years that the schools will meet.