PacWest Weekly Awards (Jan. 12)

LONG BEACH, CA – Swiftly elevating into postseason contention, Menlo Women's Basketball posted three victories over the past seven days, besting Concordia, Hawaii, Pacific, and UH Hilo en route to being named Pacific West Conference Team of the Week.

Oaks Combine For 41-Point Victory Margin Across Win Streak
The week began on Jan. 5 with Menlo's stifling defense holding down Concordia early before the Golden Eagles managed to rally back in the third quarter. With the game hanging in the balance in the fourth, a crucial stretch saw graduate student guard Laila Saenz hit free throws, senior guard Alberte Frisch connect from long range, and sophomore forward Taylor Westbrook convert a layup to send the Oaks to the eventual 62-57 triumph.

Three days later, Menlo authored a defensive masterpiece, allowing single-digit point totals from Hawaii Pacific in three of four quarters on Jan. 8. The Sharks were held to just nine field goals in the contest as redshirt freshman guard/forward Kimberly Ceron-Romero broke out for season-highs of 12 points and eight rebounds to lead the 58-28 rout.

The Oaks' most recent victory featured a strong interior game as 48 percent shooting from the field led to 30 points in the paint during a Jan. 10 matchup with UH Hilo. Menlo bounced back from the opening quarter to go into halftime on top then, guided by a combined 40 points from Frisch and Ceron-Romero, held that lead with timely scores down the stretch toward the 67-61 final.

Succeeding on both ends of the court, Menlo currently ranks second in the PacWest in field goal percentage (.418) and third in steals per game (11.43) while sitting one loss out of the sixth spot in the conference standings.

Up Next
The Oaks will look to carry their momentum into Hawaii where matchups with Chaminade (Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m. HT) and Hawaii Pacific (Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m. HT) await this week.