Point Loma Nazarene Tops Blue Hoops in Seesaw Affair

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Tournament host Point Loma Nazarene prevailed 57-52 in a game that featured 17 lead changes and six ties to defeat the Wellesley College basketball team in the 2011 Surf N Slam Small College Championship Friday evening in Golden Gym. The Sea Lions (9-4) went 2-0 at the tournament to take the title, while the Blue dropped two tough games to set their season mark to 3-6. 

Wellesley was represented on the All-Tournament team by juniors Ashleigh Sargent and Malia Maier. 

The first half was a back and forth affair, with neither team leading by more than four points. With the score knotted at 21-21 with 4:47 to play in the stanza, Wellesley grabbed some momentum with threes from Maier and Meghan Sargent, sending the Blue into the break with a slim 27-23 edge. 

Opening the second half, Wellesley would go up by six on a Meghan Sargent lay-up, their largest lead of the contest. Point Loma battled back to within one several times throughout the opening minutes before finally tying the game at 39-39 with nine minutes remaining. The Blue maintained a small advantage, going up by four with 6:46 left, after Leslie Leong drained a three. However, the Sea Lions closed out the game with a 14-4 run to hand Wellesley their second setback of the tournament. 

Wellesley was led by Leong who notched a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards, while Morgyne Weaver narrowly missed her first career double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds. Maier added 11 points and six steals, while Meghan Sargent tallied a career-high of eight points. 

Point Loma's Nyla Bailey led all players with 24 points, while also adding 11 rebounds. Crissa Jackson picked up 12 points and five steals, while Kiley Berlinski added eight points in the win. 

Wellesley returns to the east coast and conference play on Wednesday, January 4th, taking on Mount Holyoke at 7:00pm.