Nov. 11, 2003
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team kicked-off its 2003-04 season with a 66-52 exhibition loss to Vanguard University Tuesday at Cox Arena. The game was the first of two exhibitions this season for the Aztecs, while the contest counted toward Vanguard's overall record (1-0), as NAIA schools are not allowed to play exhibitions.
"We're disappointed that we didn't play as well as we'd hope to have," said SDSU head coach Jim Tomey. "We knew that when we scheduled (Vanguard), that we were going to play a well-coached and skilled team, and that's what they were. We just didn't shoot the ball very well and didn't defend."
Two freshmen led SDSU in scoring with guard Courtney Fritz (Newberg, Ore.) recording 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including three of the team's four three-pointers. Fritz's classmate Michelle Elliott (Pasco, Wash.) also added 15 points, while sophomore Ashlee Dunlap (Los Angeles, Calif.) had a team-high eight rebounds.
Vanguard, which never trailed, took an early seven-point lead at 16-9, before San Diego State got a spark midway through the first half when Dunlap followed a Candace Mattson (Alpine, Utah) basket with a steal, leading to another Mattson score. A subsequent lay-up by guard Michelle Strawberry (Corona, Calif.) cut the Lion lead to 16-15 with 8:30 remaining in the first half.
Vanguard responded with its biggest run of the game, 16-4, to take a 32-19 lead with 2:22 remaining in the half. The Lions would go into the locker room up 34-23 and a nine-point deficit at the 19:38 mark of the second half would be the closest the Aztecs would come, eventually falling 66-52.
The Lions held SDSU to just 38.6 percent shooting, while Vanguard made 11 three-pointers on 28 opportunities (39.3 percent). The Lions were led by guard Cecilia Josefsson, who made 6-of-11 from behind the arc to finish with a game-high 18 points. Vanguard is ranked fourth in the 2003-04 preseason NAIA poll after advancing to the NAIA final four a year ago.
The Aztecs continue exhibition action with a game against Nunawading Spectres, an Australian travel team, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17. The Aztec begin regular-season play with a non-conference match-up at home against St. Mary's at 5 p.m. on Nov. 21.