Lions devour another opponent with big win

Chris Yemma

Usually when a team is ranked fairly high in any sort of poll, the

program becomes a target. It’s every opponents’ ultimate goal to be

the one to take down the Goliath.

Sometimes, though, the team is so good, it’s not possible for

anyone to take it down.

With the Vanguard University women’s basketball team, ranked No. 2

in the NAIA, the latter is pretty much the case. The Lions have

defeated four teams this season by more than 80 points, including a

96-point victory over Johnson and Wales University of Colorado Dec.

18.

The Vanguard women have taken down four more opponents by 35

points or more en route to a 16-1, 7-0 Golden State Athletic

Conference record. The only loss this season was Nov. 19. to Union

University of Tennessee, ranked No. 1.

But after a five-game skid of only winning by less than 30 points,

the Lions got back to their devouring ways Saturday, defeating

visiting Fresno Pacific, 93-54, in a GSAC game at The Pit.

“This is our best team,” said Vanguard Coach Russ Davis, who has

been with the program for nine seasons.

If you analyzed further, you’d see that the Lions are still a

fairly young team. With only two seniors and a couple of key players

that are sophomores or younger, Vanguard should be loaded for years

to come.

It’s main offensive threat, sophomore Kelly Schmidt, is not only

the team’s leading scorer, but also the GSAC’s leader, averaging 23.4

points per game. She is third in the conference in rebounding, with

9.1 per game and first in offensive rebounds (3.7).

In Saturday’s contest, Schmidt put up a game-high 31 points,

drilling 20 in the first half alone.

“She’s one of the top three or four players in America [in the

NAIA],” Davis said. “There’s no doubt about it -- she’s led this team

a lot.”

The Lions aren’t just a one-woman operation, though. Seniors Lisa

Faulkner and Lacey Mills, along with sophomores Rachel Bess and Lacey

Burns, all play huge rolls in Vanguard’s scheme. While up-and-comers

Melissa Cook, Andrea Jacobson, Lindsey Rinke and Anna Dittenbir also

see enormous amounts of playing time and make their contributions.

Faulkner leads the conference in assists, averaging nearly twice

as many per game than the next in line, while Mills leads in

three-pointers made.

Basically, Vanguard is stacked with conference leaders and

statistical dominators, which has led the team to its near-perfect

record.

“Lisa [Faulkner] is the engine and Kelly [Schmidt] is the frame,”

Davis said. “Everybody does their thing and everybody steps up.”

Offensively speaking, the Lions have the best of both worlds. With

6-foot-3 Besse in the post and 6-3 Jacobson to back her up, along

with Mills, Schmidt and Faulkner on the outside, if one limb is cut

off, another grows out.

Against Fresno (9-7, 2-4), Besse had 19 points, 17 in the first

half, while Jacobson added 10 in the second half.

The Lions shot 64.4% from the field in the first half on their way

to a 57-17 intermission lead. And then there was a whole other half

to play.

“If we keep playing like that, we’re going to be tough to beat,”

Davis said. “[Fresno Pacific] is a really good team and I’m real

excited that was the result.

“That’s the most aggressive we’ve been for a while.”

Golden State Athletic Conference

Vanguard 93, Fresno Pacific 54

Fresno -- Stanley 2, Horn 2, Fast 10, Montoya 16, Prusinskas 3,

Burnett 4, Hutchings 8, Cox 9.

3-pt. goals -- Montoya 2, Prusinskas 1, Burnett 1.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Vanguard -- Mills 6, Besse 19, Faulkner 2, Burns 8, Schmidt 31,

Dittenbir 1, Rinke 2, Jacobson 10, Cook 14.

3-pt. goals -- Mills 2, Cook 2.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- 57-17, Vanguard.