PASADENA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2015) – Sophomore Kate Lewis (San Antonio, Texas / Ronald Reagan) and junior Stephanie Wong (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. / Palos Verdes Peninsula) paired for another incredible performance as the Caltech women's basketball team was unable to overcome an early Whittier College lead on Saturday night.

Caltech also celebrated the Play 4 Kay initiative to raise breast cancer awareness. 

The Beavers were outshot, 45-35 percent (40-29 percent from long range) but stayed within three on the boards and committed just one more turnover in dropping to 0-21 overall and 0-12 in the SCIAC, while the Poets are now 9-10 (5-6).

Lewis opened the game with a three-pointer but Whittier's Dannika Navales-Lugt fired back with two threes of her own to take the 6-3 lead.  Lewis kept Caltech in it offensively, scoring the Beavers' first 10 points, but the Poets steadily built up their lead to 35-23 at halftime.

The Beavers were able to cut the deficit back to single digits as senior Bridget Connor (Albuquerque, N.M. / Albuquerque Acad.) started to heat up, making it 43-34 with 13:52 remaining.  That was as close as Caltech would come, however, despite Wong netting seven consecutive Beavers points over a one-minute stretch midway through the second half.  A late rally, including nine unanswered points spanning three minutes and last-second jumper from Wong, brought what became a 23-point lead at the 7:06 mark down to the final margin of 13.

Lewis recorded her SCIAC-leading ninth double-double and eighth 20-point performance with a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds while adding five steals, three assists and one block.  Wong poured in her fourth 20-point effort of the season with 21, including a perfect 8-of-8 on free throws, to go with five rebounds, three steals and one assist.  Junior Esther Du (Walnut, Calif. / Troy) added five points, three assists and two steals without committing a single turnover in 17 minutes off the bench.  Connor finished with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

Head Coach Sandra Marbut and the Beavers will head to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (4-16, 3-8) on Saturday, Feb. 14.