Bulldogs Capture First WSC Win Since 2012, Beat LA Pierce 71-68

The streak is over. The Allan Hancock College women's basketball team overcame a six-point second half deficit to defeat LA Pierce 71-68 in a Western State Conference game on Wednesday night in Joe White Memorial Gymnasium. The victory snapped the Bulldogs' 14-game conference losing streak, which dated back to February 2012.

Emma Weinreich led four Hancock players in double-digit scoring with 18 points. The sophomore was 8 for 12 from the floor to go with three steals and four rebounds. Justine Roland added 17 points on 7 for 12 shooting. Freshman Ali Rodriguez added 14 points and Celina Calderon buried three 3-point buckets in the first half to finish with 11 points.

"This win was big in every possible way for this team. We fought so hard and dug ourselves out of so many holes," said Hancock's first-year head coach Cary Nerelli. "It gives us a shot of confidence when we needed it the most."

The Bulldogs improved to 1-3 in WSC play and 11-8 on the season. Pierce dropped to 1-4 in league and 13-9 overall. 

Hancock trailed 62-56 with 7:07 to play in the game. Buckets from Roland, Weinreich and freshman Nicole DeLaGuerra brought the Bulldogs all the way back to take a 68-66 lead with 1:17 to go.

However, a strange play with 17 seconds left in the game resulted in the teams exchanging a pair of free throws. Rodriguez was fouled by a Pierce player, but she received a technical foul a few seconds later. Amari Hampton hit both free throws for Pierce to tie the game 68-68. Rodriguez, a Pioneer Valley High School, graduate calmly sank both of her shots from the charity stripe to give the Bulldogs the lead for good 70-68.

Hancock shot 48.2 percent for the game on 27 for 56 shooting. The Bulldogs were 5 for 10 from 3-point range highlighted by a 3 for 4 mark from Calderon. Hancock converted just 12 of its 22 free throws for a 54.5 percent clip.

The game started out well for the Bulldogs, who scored the first eight points of the game. However, the Brahmas responded with a 13-0 run of their own.  Calderon, a Lompoc High School graduate, ended the scoring drought for the Bulldogs with three-straight buckets from beyond-the-arc. Rodriguez hit a 3-point bucket as time expired in the first half to give Hancock a 32-27 lead going into the intermission. Hancock made 16 of its 27 shots in the first half for a 59.3 percent mark compared to a 50 percent clip for the Brahmas.

Gasia Sarkis led the Brahmas with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Ciara Pacheco and Hampton added 16 points apiece.  Pierce shot 47.2 percent in the game and hit just 5 of 18 from 3-point range for a 27.8 percent mark. 

Hancock returns to action on Saturday, Jan.25 at Santa Barbara City College. The women are slated to tip off a 5 p.m., with the men scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.