SANTA BARBARA, CA – Trailing Moorpark by 10 with less than four minutes to go, the SBCC women's basketball team turned the game upside down as the Vaqueros went on a remarkable 15-2 run to take a late lead. However, a buzzer-beating layup by the Raiders' Kaydn Mew sent the game into overtime and Santa Barbara would come up just short in the final seconds of a 60-59 defeat.
After a closely fought first half, the Raiders (14-5, 3-0) would create some distance taking a nine-point lead with 7:26 to go. The Vaqueros (7-9, 0-1) found themselves in a tough position, but everything clicked over the final four minutes on both ends of the court.
Freshman center Paityn Persson got the run started at the 3:49 mark with a jumper to make it an eight point game, 47-39. On the next two defensive possessions, she got a block and a steal, both times leading to an Isabella Jensen Williams assist as the lead was cut to four.
With just over a minute remaining, Jensen Williams converted a three-point play and a sneaky poke from behind by Leila Chisholm led to a game-tying transition three by Isabella Favazzo, tying it at 49-49. Favazzo then blocked a shot in the corner with a fantastic close out, leading to another Vaquero three, this time from Jensen Williams to put the Vaqueros ahead 52-49 with just over 20 seconds left.
SBCC had a chance to put the game away at the line, but a pair of costly missed free throws gave the Raiders a chance to tie it, and Mew drove left down the court to put in a driving layup just before time expired.
Early in the overtime session, Jensen Williams fouled out, and Moorpark would go up by four. SBCC fought to stay in the game, getting a big three from Eva Carrejo. Down one in the final seconds, the Vaqueros forced a turnover. With time running out, Brianna Jacobs couldn't get a tough look from three to go as Moorpark held on.
Jacobs led the way with 14 points, knocking down 4-of-9 from beyond-the-arc. Jensen Williams finished with 11 points, seven boards and four assists and Persson had 10 points.