Lions cruise to easy win

Rick Devereux

David doesn’t always beat Goliath.

The Vanguard University women’s basketball team, ranked No. 2 in

the NAIA, did not let the underdog Christian Heritage Hawks come

close to sniffing an upset Tuesday night in the Lions’ 89-46 victory

at The Pit in the Golden State Athletic Conference opener.

Vanguard (5-1) never trialed, but the Hawks (4-3) stayed close

early on.

Sophomore forward Kelly Schmidt broke open the game when she

scored from inside the paint after an offensive rebound, then stole

the ball and made a layup to give the Lions a 15-10 lead seven minutes into the first half.

Schmidt, a 2004 second-team All-American, led all scores with 19

points. The 6-foot Schmidt averages 24.8 per game thanks to a

37-point outburst in the season opener and 41 points against La

Sierra Nov. 23.

“I just go out and try to find what the defense is giving me,” she

said. “But I will do whatever it takes for the team to win. It really

doesn’t matter how many points I score. It’s all about the team.”

Her selfless attitude is what makes her so special.

“She’s one of the top five players in America,” said Coach Russ

Davis, who earned his 200th career win with the victory. “She has a

nose for the ball and finds a way to score.”

Vanguard, which has won three straight games and hosts Biola at

5:30 p.m. Saturday, turned on the afterburners and jetted away with

20 straight points while the Hawks’ offense was held scoreless. Not

until a three-pointer by sophomore guard Katie Foster more than eight

minutes later did Christian Heritage’s scoring drought stop.

Foster knocked down four three-pointers to end the half, part of

her game-high five three-pointers, to close within 42-30, but

Vanguard had too much firepower for the visitors.

The Vanguard defense clamped down again, not allowing a Christian

Heritage point until six minutes passed in the second half. By that

time the Lions had raced to 54-31 advantage.

With the Hawks’ defense protecting the interior, Vanguard guards

Lisa Faulkner and Lacey Mills knocked down back-to-back threes and

forward Melissa Cook hit a pull-up jumper to give the Lions a 62-36

lead with 11 minutes remaining.

Faulkner had a game-high 13 assists to go with her 17 points. Five

Lions had double-digit scoring nights: Schmidt, Faulkner, Cook (15),

Rachel Beese (13) and Lacey Burns (10).

Despite the fact Vanguard outrebounded the Hawks, 53-39, and won

in convincing fashion, Davis was not pleased.

“I’m not happy with the way we played,” the ninth-year coach said.

“They totally out-hustled us. We allowed 18 offensive rebounds. We

came out flat and with no intensity.”

Still, the team accomplished the one goal Davis set.

“I was just looking for a win,” he said.

The win came just easily as the previous two. The Lions beat La

Sierra and Lambuth by an average of more than 50 points. Davis said

he was not concerned that his players might lose their focus in games

because of the wide margin of victory.

“We have to find a way to keep our concentration,” he said. “All

of the teams we play are going to be gunning for us, so we need to

stay focused.”

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Golden State Athletic Conference

Vanguard 89, Christian Heritage 46

Christian Heritage -- Reynolds 7, McGill 0, James 11, Foster 15, Wall 2, McKinney 0, Anderson 0, Graham 0, Miller 0, Geagel 2, Harbeck 9, Wilson 0, Johansen 0.

3-pt. Goals -- Foster 5, Wilson 2, James 1.

Fouled out -- Wall, Geagel.

Technicals -- Team

Vanguard -- Mills 6, Beese 13, Faulkner 17, Burns 10, Schmidt 19, Dittenbir 3, Rinke 1, Jacobson 5, Cook 15.

3-pt. Goals -- Faulkner 3, Mills 2, Burns 1, Dittenbir 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- Vanguard, 89-46.

*--*