Photo by: Justin Hyon, Caltech Yearbook

 

PASADENA. Calif. (December 1, 2021) - As the last month of a memorable year began, so too did the start of SCIAC play for the women's basketball program and the visiting Chapman University Panthers on Wednesday night.

 

An early burst of energy and fantastic shooting saw the Beavers get out to a 9-4 lead just 3:30 into the contest. Two blocked shots coupled with four makes in their first five attempts had the Beavers and their fans enthused as the Panthers were forced to take their first time out of the evening before the teams had played four minutes.

 

Attacking Chapman's up-tempo pressing defense early on proved beneficial to the Beavers as they did well breaking the press and frequently found themselves with out-numbered attacks going toward their offensive basket. But as the first period continued, Caltech's shots did not continue to fall and the quickened pace the hosts were forced to play led to several turnovers. This allowed Chapman to get back into the game and eventually grab the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

 

The first of four frames ended with the Beavers trailing by a bucket, 22-20. Juniors Faith Pinney (Spokane, Wash. / Gonzaga Preparatory School) and Sahana Saikumar (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia), sophomore Claire Zhang (Medford, N.J. /Lenape) led the way for Caltech in the first. Pinney was nearly perfect in the opening period, scoring eight points on 3-3 shooting, including a three-pointer and one made free throw while Zhang, who scored five points on 2-of-3 shooting including a triple, also played inspired defense, creating two steals and tie-ups. Saikumar used her height advantage and terrific ball handling skills to not only block two shots, but also aid the Beavers ability to break pressure and get started in their offensive end. As a team, Caltech shot 57 percent in the first quarter for its highest field goal percentage in any quarter this season.

 

As positively as conference play, the first quarter and the month of December began, the Beavers were quickly cooled off by the continually pressing defense of the Panthers as well as some open shots that failed to fall in the second frame. Shooting only 19 percent for the quarter, Caltech went into the locker room at half time trailing 32-27, having turned the ball over six times in the first half.

 

After the intermission, the intensity increased as the Beavers worked to get back into the contest. While it was challenging for both teams to find their way early in the second half, a tribute to solid defense, switching on screens, battling through double teams and beating full court pressure, the Beavers got within five at 36-31 halfway through the third period on a layup from Saikumar assisted by Pinney. Sophomore point guard Hope Arnett (Torrance, Calif. / Chadwick School) was relentless throughout the contest, as she has been in the nonconference schedule, as Chapman doubled down on a commitment to make someone other than Arnett bring the ball up the court and break the stifling pressure. Much like the second quarter, the Beavers were challenged to score as the withering pace of the Chapman press forced the Beavers to commit eight more turnovers in the third period alone. As the horn sounded ending the third, the Beavers found themselves down by 11, trailing 47-36.

 

Fighting to get back in the game, the Beavers and their vocal supporters were inspired by the play of multi-sport athletes Katherine Marquis (Tewksbury, Mass. / Phillips Academy Andover) and Claire Perhach (Carlsbad, Calif. / Sage Creek), who joined nearly a month into the season after playing key roles for soccer and volleyball, respectively. Marquis, who had also scored three points in the third, added three more midway through the fourth on a made shot from beyond the arc, giving her six on the evening. Perhach, working hard in the paint on both ends of the floor, provided five points and three rebounds in the effort. Stuck on 38 points for over three minutes in the final frame, Pinney put the Beavers' comeback efforts in motion when she made a driving layup at 6:12 in the fourth quarter, assisted by Arnett. Less than 15 seconds later, Arnett missed a layup attempt, but was able to grab the rebound before feeding Marquis, who drilled a three. Chapman kept pushing and while the deficit expanded to 15 points with 2:52 left in the contest, the Beavers refused to fold their tents and tenaciously fought to get back in the game. 

 

When Arnett stole the ball away from the Panthers and laid it in with just over two minutes remaining in the contest, she followed up the effort with steals on the next two Chapman possessions and distributed passes that led to buckets by Pinney and freshman Kathryn Edwards (Centennial, Colo. / Arapahoe) to reduce the gap to nine at 60-51 with 1:22 remaining. Another Beaver steal led to Pinney going to the foul line where she made one of two, getting the Beavers within eight at 60-52. Caltech would get no closer as Chapman held firm to defeat the home side, 62-52.

 

Head Coach Bridgette Reyes and the Beavers get their next shot at their first SCIAC win of the season when they return to the court to play host to the Whittier College Poets on Saturday, Dec. 4th at 4:00 pm in the Braun Athletic Center.