Atherton, CA- Throughout the regular season it seemed that Vanguard simply had Menlo's number. The Oaks came into tonight's matchup 0-2 against the second seeded Lions. Thankfully, the third time was the charm as Menlo exacted their revenge, winning when it mattered most. The Oaks would book their ticket to the championship round via a 77-71 victory that was hardfought down to the final possessions.

The Second Unit Comes Through

In the first round Menlo received a huge boost from their bench thanks to 25 points from Hunter Boske. Tonight, another reserve rose to the occasion and led the Oaks. Freshman Alberte Frisch decided that the GSAC Semi-Finals was the perfect time to have one of the best games of her young career. Frisch couldn't miss as she shot 70% from the field, 50% from behind the arc and 100% at the free throw line. All those made buckets would result in both a game and season high for the guard out of Denmark. Her 10 points in the fourth quarter effectively closed out the game. Menlo's second unit is coming alive at the most important time of the season!

Trio of Upperclassmen Stuff the Statsheet

Alberte Frisch stole the show with her offensive output. Yet, three veteran Oaks also put up great statlines. Menlo fans are running out of words to describe the play of Kiara Brown. She simply scored 20 more points, grabbed eight more rebounds and battled reigning conference MVP, Melissa Akullu all night. On the perimeter, Vivian Woo and Nura Galmes also played well. Galmes ran the Oaks offense like a true point guard. Galmes handed out a season high 11 assists. Woo continues to shoot the ball well, hitting three of five attempts from deep. The senior also was a vocal leader on both ends of the floor and had put her body on the line diving for a loose ball late to help secure the Menlo victory.

Up Next… 

It all comes down to the championship game this Saturday. The Oaks will meet the fourth seeded Hope International Royals in the championship round. The Royals emerged victorious, upsetting the top seeded Westmont Warriors, in a triple overtime thriller. The two teams split their regular season series one game apiece. Menlo is firing on all cylinders and getting production from a variety of players. With the game held inside Haynes-Prim Pavilion the Oaks look to claim a GSAC title in front of their home crowd.