CLAREMONT, Calif. — The Cal Lutheran women's basketball team, the No. 3 team in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), took on No. 2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Monday night in Roberts Pavilion. The game came down to the final seconds and the Athenas' defense made a crucial stop and prevailed 52-51.
Kayla Watterson and Jessi Westering both had a double-double for the Regals (12-9, 7-5 SCIAC). Watterson put up her fifth double-double of the season as she scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Westering recorded the first double-double of her career. She scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds.
Natalie Ruhl came off the bench and scored seven points for the Regals. Kailee Yan was right behind her with six points and dished out a team-high three assists.
CLU had a cold shooting night from the three-point line as the Regals went 4-of-26 for 15.4-percent. From the field, they shot 32.7-percent. At the charity stripe, the Violet and Gold were 11-of-13 for 84.6-percent.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas went up early and took an 8-2 lead. CLU bounced back and took a 9-8 lead after Kiana Gray hit a three. At the end of the first, the score was tied at 13.
At the start of the second quarter, Cal Lutheran went on a 5-0 run and had an 18-13 lead. CMS was quick to answer with their own 5-0 run and the score was tied again, this time at 18. The teams went back and forth in scoring over the final minutes of the half and the Regals had a 24-23 lead.
The score continued to be close in the third quarter, but CMS outscored CLU by two and had a 41-40 lead. At the start of the fourth, the score was tied four time. The Athenas took a 48-46 lead with 3:43 left in the game. With 1:18 left, Westering hit a clutch three that put the Regals up 49-48. On the ensuing play, CMS made a layup and went back up one.
Coming out a timeout, Watterson made a layup with 32 seconds left in the game and CLU led 51-50. For every play the Regals made, the Athenas answered with one of their own. That continued to be the trend as CMS made a layup with 3 seconds left. The Regals had a chance at the buzzer, but the Athenas' defense was there for the stop.
The Regals return to Thousand Oaks, Calif., for their final home game. Cal Lutheran hosts Pomona-Pitzer Saturday for Senior Day at 4 p.m. in Gilbert Arena.
Box Score: CMS 52, CLU 51
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
