SANTA CLARA, Calif. – In a close contest with Santa Clara University on Thursday night, the Pepperdine womens basketball team fell 86-81 in overtime at Leavey Center, in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Bronco’s started the game with an early scoring run, notching 10 points in the first three minutes of the contest. Initially, the Waves had trouble executing their shots. Daphanie Kennedy (Oakland, Calif./ Kearny HS) ended Santa Clara’s run with a two-point lay-up followed by a three-pointer by Katie Menton (Coarsegold, Calif./ Yosemite HS).
Pepperdine continued to score bringing the Waves within one point of the Bronco’s with 9:30 left in the first half. Pepperdine and Santa Clara traded baskets and shots beyond the arc with the Broncos ending the half up by three (36-33). The Waves had 13 points off Santa Clara turnovers in the first half. The Broncos were out shooting Pepperdine 54% to 34%.
An aggressive Santa Clara offense started the second half by scoring five points with 18:15 left in the half, widening its lead to seven points (41-34). With 12:51 remaining, the Bronco’s were up by 10 (52-42). Jen Gottschalk and Tracey Walker teamed up to add 29 of Santa Clara’s 52 points with 11:53 in the game.
With 4:10 left in the second half, a shot from beyond the arc by Menton and a free shot by Jessica Ross (Gilroy, Calif. / Notre Dame HS), put the Waves within three points of the Broncos (64-61). As the two teams continued trade baskets, Taylor Smith (Wailua, Hawaii / Kalaheo HS) made a three pointer with 1:21 remaining to tie the game. The Broncos Nicole Gall, answered with a three point shot of her own to take the lead back (69-66). A free shot by Miranda Ayim (London, Ontario, Canada) and a layup by Kennedy tied the game (69-69). Gall missed a shot from beyond the arc and the buzzer sounded with Pepperdine in possession.
Kennedy scored the first basket in overtime on a layup (71-69). Walker answered with a three pointer, followed by another shot from beyond the arc by Nicole Gall and a second three pointer by Walker (78-73). Kennedy made two free shots to bring the score to 78-75. Walker came back with a fast break lay up (80-75). A free shot by Ayim and two free throws by Kennedy, narrowed the lead by two (80-78) with :32 left. A foul by Menton gave Santa Clara two free shots (82-78) with :30 remaining. Another Pepperdine foul and two successful shots by Sara Majors increased the Broncos lead (84-78). With :10 left in the game, Gottschalk made two free shots (86-79) and Kennedy made a layup with :2 remaining, but the Waves were out of time.
Kennedy had a season and game high of 31 points, while Smith contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. Ayim added 12 points and nine rebounds and Menton scored 12 points and notched nine rebounds for the Waves.
