Atherton, CA-It was a highly anticipated rematch between two top 25 programs in the nation with #25 Menlo Women's Basketball taking on #10 Vanguard. The Oaks would strike first having won the first meeting between the two highly touted teams but the Lions would even the score defeating Menlo by a final score of 60-72. The stage is now set for a potential third and decisive matchup in the GSAC Tournament with both teams looking to secure their postseason spots.
All-Conference Players Duel in Primetime
Not only did the two teams come in looking to pick up a big win but the duo of Kiara Brown and Melissa Akullu would battle all game long with both players reminding everyone watching that they are two of the best in the business. For the game Akullu would score 19 points to go along with a game high 12 rebounds. Brown answered the challenge with a game high 24 points and seven boards. Watching the two go back and forth across four quarters was thrilling. Brown and Akullu both made timely shots, rebounded well and led their teams as has been the case for both of their careers. Hopefully this will not be the final time we see these two go head to head.
Huggins Stuffs the Statsheet
Along with Brown, fellow senior Jasmyne Huggins has continued a strong stretch of play. The forward was the Oaks second leading scorer with 12 points to go along with a well rounded five rebounds, three assists and three steals. In fact Huggins was able to do a bunch of damage in only 29 minutes of action. Her insertion into the starting lineup was a new wrinkle to this Oak's team and helped spark their 11 game winning streak. Even in this loss, it's clear that Huggins is more than up to the task of making big plays in big games.
Up Next…
The Oaks now prepare for their Senior Day this Saturday with the Royals of Hope International making the trip to Atheron. In their last matchup Menlo put together a strong team effort that resulted in a 90-69 victory. Having now dropped two games in a row, look to coaches Spataro, Rogers and Woo to rally the team and get back in the win column as the program celebrates an outstanding senior class!
Menlo College is currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). To learn more about Menlo Athletics visit www.menloathletics.com or follow Menlo Athletics on Instagram (@menloathletics), X (@MenloAthletics) or Facebook (Menlo College Athletic)
