By Kaci Mexico
March 8, 2016

Westmont Women’s Basketball (29-3) shot at 62.5 percent from the three-point line and at 47.8 from the field in the second half to claim a 67-58 victory over Vanguard (24-6) in the Championship game of the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Warriors, who were already the regular season champions, are now the GSAC Tournament Champions. “This feels amazing,” said GSAC Player of the Year, Krissy Karr. “It is definitely a goal we had and especially after we won league, we were set on winning the GSAC tournament too.”

“I am just really proud of our players,” said Westmont head coach Kirsten Moore. “We push them so hard all year for moments like this so that they are ready and prepared, and they came through when they needed to tonight.”

Within the first two minutes, the Warriors went on a 9-2 run to take an early lead. After winning the tip off Aysia Shellmire drove towards the basket, drew the foul, and made the subsequent free throws. Vanguard then embarked upon their first possession of the game, but Karr stole the ball and handed it off to Shellmire, who hit a jump shot. Cora Chan followed with a layup, Vanguard’s Samantha Doucette piped in with a jump shot, and Aimee Brakken added a three-pointer.

Westmont’s Evan Kramer and Karlie Storkson were honored at a banquet in Costa Mesa on Sunday as recipients of the Golden State Athletic Conference Champions of Character Award. The Award, named for the former GSAC Commissioner, is given to one male and one female student-athlete from each member institution.

Recipients must be at least juniors with a 3.0 minimum grade point average. They must be outstanding in “campus leadership, community service, embracing the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character Initiative, athletic achievement and future ambition.”

Kramer is a senior economics and business major from Santa Ana with a 3.44 GPA. A Westmont Golden Eagle Award winner, Kramer is president of Westmont’s chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society for economics.

In the summer of 2015, Kramer attended a seminar in Washington D.C. in the Morality of Democratic Capitalism hosted by the American Enterprise Institute.

Kramer earned All-GSAC honors in cross country at the GSAC Championships and led the Warriors to an 18th place finish at the NAIA National Championships. In September, Kramer was named the GSAC Cross Country Runner of the Month.

Westmont’s Jacob Grant earned NAIA All-American honors by finishing seventh in the finals of the men’s 1000 meter run at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships on Saturday. The sophomore from Santa Ana finished the race in a time of 2:30.74.

Grant reached the finals by posting the fifth best qualifying time in the prelims, a personal best of 2:29.77.

Also competing on Saturday were Evan Kramer and Becky Collier. Evan Kramer competed in the finals of the men’s mile, finishing 10th with a time of 4:25.01. Collier finished 16th in the high jump, clearing 1.65 meters (5-5), which was well below her qualifying mark.

Westmont will now turn its attention to the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field season. On Thursday and Friday, March 17 and 18, the Warriors will host the Jim Klein Multi-Events for collegiate athletes. Then on Saturday, March 19, Westmont will conduct the Westmont Classic beginning at 10 o’clock at the Westmont Track.

[men’s results] [women’s results]

Westmont Men’s Basketball (21-10) took top-seeded and third ranked Biola (28-3) to overtime before falling to the Eagles 75-66 in the semifinals of the Golden State Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship.

“I thought we played a great tournament and we played to win,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “We had a very good defensive tournament. Both second halves, when the game is on the line, we played as a hardnosed, smart, unselfish team.”

The loss means that the Warriors will have to wait until Wednesday, March 9 to learn if they will receive an at-large invitation to the 79th Annual NAIA Men’s Basketball Division I Championship in Kansas City.

Based on results in NAIA conference tournaments to date and an examination of the most recent ratings, the Westmont Sports Information Office expects such an invitation to be forthcoming. The final ratings, however, which will be used to determine the at-large qualifiers, will not be announced until March 9.

In Saturday’s semifinal game, Biola jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first four minutes of play. However, a three-pointer by Cory Blau sparked a 14-2 Warrior run to put Westmont ahead. The first half was characterized by back-and-forth runs. Biola rallied with a 20-4 run to go up 30-18, but Westmont roared back with a 9-0 run to pull within three points (30-27) with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

[box score]

By Kaci Mexico
March 5, 2016

In the semifinal round of the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament, #2 Westmont Women’s Basketball (28-3) was victorious over Hope International (15-13), defeating them by a score of 72-58.

Westmont advances to the championship game this coming Tuesday night where it will face sixth-ranked Vanguard (25-5) – Vanguard and Westmont have split their past two games.

“I thought we played three really great quarters of basketball today,” said head coach Kirsten Moore. “The women were really dialed in and focused. Our effort on the boards was extraordinary, and I just thought we came out with an attacking mentality and obviously got a really good result because of it.”

The Warriors demonstrated this “attacking mentality” when in the first quarter they went on a 14-2 run to gain a nine point lead (20-11). Krissy Karr had a jump shot and a three-pointer; Lauren McCoy had two jump shots, a layup, and a free throw; and Aysia Shellmire had a layup.

The Royals continued to battle throughout the first half and the half ended with the Warriors ahead 37-30.

The Warriors increased their lead to 22 when they went on a 13-1 run to finish out the third quarter (61-39). Again, it was Karr, McCoy, and Shellmire who contributed to this critical run. Karr had a jump shot and a three-pointer; McCoy had a layup; and Shellmire had two free throws, a jump shot, and a layup.

By taking both ends of a soggy Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader, #16 Westmont (17-3, 8-1 GSAC) completed a sweep of San Diego Christian (9-10, 5-7). Westmont won the first game 6-3, then prevailed 10-1 in the finale.

Starter David Gaydos (5-1) was awarded the win in the first game after allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings of work. Gaydos struck out five and walked three. Sam Sheehan was awarded the save, his sixth of the season.

Westmont scored two runs in the bottom of the first without getting a hit. After Michael Frigon walked to lead off the inning, Michael Stefanic laid down a bunt. A fielding error on the bunt allowed Frigon to reach third and put Stefanic on second.

Alex Bush produced a ground ball to second which allowed Frigon to score and Stefanic to reach third. Jarrett Costa then delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Stefanic.

[game one box score] [game two box score]

Westmont Men’s Basketball (21-9) overcame a seven-point deficit at the half (37-30) to upset #15 Arizona Christian (22-8) in the first round of the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship. The Warriors’ defense was tenacious in the second half as Westmont outscored the Firestorm 44-28.

Westmont advances to the semifinals tomorrow night where it will match up with top-seeded and third ranked Biola (27-3).

“I loved how tough we were,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “Sometimes it is about how hardnosed you are. That usually shows up on the defensive end and I thought we defended in the second half as well as we have in a long, long time.

“Arizona Christian is so good offensively,” continued the coach. “Our goal was to hold them under 75 points. Even though we were disappointed at half time that we didn’t have the lead, we knew that we were on the right pace. The last time they nearly scored 100 point against us.”

[box score]

It took 13 innings to score a run, but that was all that was needed in Westmont Baseball’s 1-0 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over San Diego Christian (9-8, 5-5 GSAC). The lone run came from the bat of Michael Valentin, Jr. who deposited the first pitch he saw in the game into deep right field for a sacrifice fly that scored Alex Bush from third.

Westmont starter Daniel Butler pitched nine scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. Hawks’ starter Gio Ochoa matched Butler’s scoreless performance, allowing five hits over nine innings. Neither starter figured in the decision.

Westmont’s Sam Sheehan entered the game in the top of the 10th inning and retired nine San Diego Christian would-be hitters in order. In the process, he struck out two. The Hawk’s Daniel Kopas pitched two innings, allowing one hit and a walk, but no runs.

Michael Rishwain pitched the top of the 13th inning for the Warriors and retired all three batters he faced – two by strikeout. By doing so, Rishwain was awarded the win, his second of the year.

[box score] [photos]