Box Score Photo by Michael Wong
PASADENA, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2016) – Another dominant effort by junior Kate Lewis (San Antonio, Texas / Ronald Reagan) netted the 21st double-double of her career but Caltech women's basketball came up short against the University of La Verne on Tuesday night.
Lewis poured in 17 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out four assists and blocked three shots. La Verne still managed to escape with the victory thanks to a 44-32 percent shooting edge and +15 rebound margin.
Lewis netted the Beavers' first four points to hold an early lead before La Verne surged ahead, 11-4, with 4:12 left in the first quarter. Buckets by freshmen Elizabeth Eiden (White Plains, N.Y. / Holy Child) and Nika Haleftiras (San Diego, Calif. / Our Lady of Peace) followed by another Lewis layup quickly cut the deficit to one, but ULV went back ahead by five before Lewis tallied her eighth point just before the break to trail by three.
The Leopards immediately stretched the margin to double digits, which Caltech could only trim to six before the visitors extended the lead back to 10 at 30-20 by halftime. ULV took control in the third quarter but Haleftiras cut the deficit back to single digits early in the fourth with an old-fashioned three-point play to make it 53-44 with 7:31 on the clock. ULV regained some breathing room, however, and turned away a last-gasp Caltech flurry to leave with the 73-57 victory.
Haleftiras added 14 points while shooting 4-for-8 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Junior Michelle Wong (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. / Palos Verdes Peninsula) made a team-high four steals and dished out three assists.
Head Coach Sandra Marbut and the Beavers host Chapman University (18-6, 13-2) on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. The team will also be celebrating Senior Night as all-time leading scorer Stephanie Wong (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. / Palos Verdes Estates) plays her final game in Braun Gymnasium.
