Westmont Women's Basketball (2-3) played its first overtime game of the season and came away with a 70-66 victory over the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino (1-2).
Three Warriors scored in double figures led by Sage Kramer with 16 points and seven rebounds. Bailey Fong added 13 points and Molly Garnand notched 12 points and five boards.
Lisa Kiefer, who did not come off the floor, totaled eight points, three steals and a season-high 18 rebounds.
"Obviously, we are so new as a group playing together," said Westmont's head coach Kirsten Moore. "There are so many pieces out there that are learning and growing every game. I think I am seeing steps and then also seeing so many things that we have to work on.
Some of those things in key moments both helped us today - we came through clutch in moments we needed - and obviously we were exposed in ways that we should have been able to close things out and didn't. I love to be able to learn those things with a win instead of learning those things with a loss."
The Warriors jumped out to a 7-0 lead courtesy of a 3-pointer and a layup by Noemie Bariteau (7 points, 4 rebounds) and a jumper in the paint by Garnand. After a trey by the Coyotes' Tarryn Ross, and an 'and-one' layup by Kramer made it a 10-3 game.
The Coyotes produced a 6-0 run to cut their deficit to one point before Kiefer stole the ball and scored on a layup. Rebecca Saidoff completed the first-quarter scoring with a jumper for San Bernardino, pulling the Coyotes within one (12-11).
Another layup by Kiefer started off the second quarter and Bariteau landed a hook to give Westmont a 16-11 lead. After the Coyotes' Lauryn Morris scored on a layup for the visitors, Garnand banked in a six-foot jumper, making it an 18-13 score.
The Coyotes, however, found their rhythm and went on a 7-0 run, taking their first lead at 20-18. Kramer responded with a 12-foot jumper to even the score at 20 before Morris produced another layup restoring, a 22-20 lead to the Yotes.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first half, Kate Goostrey (6 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists) launched a deep ball, giving the Warriors a 23-22 advantage. Then, Kiefer was fouled on her way to the basket, her two points from the charity stripe increased the Warrior margin to three (25-22).
With nine seconds on the clock, Kramer hit a pull-up jumper from eight feet, resulting in a halftime score of 27-22 in favor of the home team.
Deannah Buckner started the second-half scoring for the Coyotes with a second-chance put-back. Then Jaida Jackson scored on an underhand layup to put the Coyotes up 27-26. Kiefer responded with a layup before Jackson scored with a spinning layup, making it a 29-28 score.
After a media timeout, Kramer dribbled into the lane, juked her defender, and drew a foul on a made layup. She completed the three-point play, giving Westmont a 32-28 lead. Once again, Saidoff drew the Coyotes within one by draining a triple.
On the Warriors' next possession, Jazymyn Shipp (6 points, 3 rebounds) went strong to the basket scoring on a jumper under the hoop. Then, Kramer pulled down an offensive board and scored with a jumper, restoring Westmont's advantage to five points (36-31).
Another three from Saidoff was answered with a layup by Shipp, but Saidoff hit again from behind the arc, making it a 38-37 game.
Mariah Brown collected an offensive rebound and drove toward the hoop for a layup. Then on the inbound pass, Brown stole the ball and dished it to Goostrey who hit the jumper, making the score 42-37.
Arango drew a foul on a made layup for the Coyotes, narrowing the point differential to two (42-40) headed into the fourth quarter.
A layup by Jackson, tied the score at 42 to start the last quarter of play. However, Garnand responded with a layup and Bailey Fong scored on the next two possessions by the Warriors, putting the home team ahead by six (48-42).
After a timeout called by the Coyotes' coach, Jackson scored on a layup. Then, on the Warrior end of the court, Fong was fouled on a 3-point attempt from the corner.
She made all three free throws to give Westmont its first seven-point lead (51-44) since midway through the opening frame.
With a little over five minutes to play, Morris drained the Coyotes' sixth three. Then, Garnand scored on a second-chance jumper. Morris responded with a turnaround jumper, making it a 53-49 contest.
Out of a timeout, Kramer drained a triple from the top of the key and once again, the Warriors led by seven. (56-49). However, Morris found the net from long range again, keeping the Coyotes within four.
After a steal, Jackson scored on a layup and San Bernardino was within two (56-54).
A steal by Fong resulted in an all-alone layup, but Jackson hit her third 3-pointer, once again making it a one-point game (58-57).
A full court press by the Coyotes was broken by Fong who crossed the time line before passing off to Kiefer. The Warriors got the ball underneath to Goostrey, who dished off to Shipp for a jumper and Westmont was on top 60-57.
With 8.7 seconds showing on the clock, however, Jackson tied it up with the Coyote's ninth 3-point field goal of the game. The Warriors had possession, but could not find an open look, and the game went to overtime.
Kiefer won the overtime tip-off and the Warriors scored first on a layup by Garnand. After an unfruitful possession by the Coyotes, Kramer was fouled as she drove the lane. She made the first of two free throws, extending the Warrior lead to 63-60.
Westmont kept San Bernardino scoreless on the next possession. Then, Kiefer fed Garnand who finished a reverse layup for a 65-60 score.
Neither team scored again until 1:08 on the clock when Arango got free for a layup. Fong was fouled on the next possession, she hit the first, then missed the second. However, she stole the ball and scored on a layup, putting Westmont up by six (68-62).
"Bailey is so seasoned in those moments," offered Moore. "Even though she is working her way back, she knows how to win and knows how to do things that we need down the stretch in those situations.
"Everybody trusts her to be able to do what needs to be done. She showed that she has the ability to do that still and did a great job off the bench for us."
Morris was fouled on a 3-point attempt, but missed the first two before hitting the third. With 35.2 seconds remaining, Westmont had possession and a 68-63 lead. Once again, Fong was fouled. She missed the first but made the second, resulting in a 69-63 lead.
After a missed three by the Coyotes, Goostrey was fouled with 17.6 seconds remaining. She made one of two and it was 70-63.
Saidoff came down the court and drained the Coyote's 10th three of the game. That, however, was not enough to keep the Warriors from a 70-66 overtime victory.
"There were a lot of key things that helped us grit out a win from Kate's leadership to her toughness and her assists. Lisa's rebounding was phenomenal. So many other people stepped up in a lot of different ways. There is a lot to build on and a lot to learn and grow from. That is the point we are at in this season and the point we are at with a new, younger team working together. Hopefully we keep building in the right direction and keep growing."
The Warriors next chance to learn from competition will come on Thursday when Westmont hosts the Mustangs of The Master's (3-2). Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.